Dawning of a New Life
by Mei2
Summary: A chance meeting drastically changes the lives of Connor MacLeod and a little girl named Dawn Summers.
1. Strangers on a Train

Title: Dawning of a New Life

Author: Mei2

E-mail: mei1ca

Category: BTVS/Highlander crossover

Rating: T

Disclaimer: I own nothing except the demented plot. All BTVS characters belong to Joss Whedon. All Highlander characters belong to Davis Panzer Productions Inc.

Distribution: Twisting the Hellmouth and . Otherwise, please ask first (I'll probably say yes).

Challenge: Based on a challenge from a board long since dead: What if the monks sent Dawn to someone else to protect? You don't have to use Glory or anything else from Buffy if you don't want to. In fact, some ideas would probably work better if you only use Dawn and made up your own villain. (I'm using virtually nothing from BTVS and have changed some characters to suit my needs).

Notes: The story begins a few years before the TV series starts. For story purposes, "Highlander: Endgame" did not happen, and Richie did not die. For those unfamiliar with Connor MacLeod, he was the Highlander in the original movie. Special thanks to Pat who put up with my endless questions and did not smack me upside the head.

Summary: A chance meeting drastically changes the lives of Connor MacLeod and a little girl named Dawn Summers.

-oOo-

Chapter 1: Strangers on a Train

"I'll be home tonight," he said.

"And Jansen?" she asked.

"Will not be a problem."

She sighed. "Have a safe trip."

Connor MacLeod smiled slightly as he disconnected the call and put his cellphone away. Rachel had always been a bit of a mother hen ever since she was a little girl. He walked over to the waiting area of the train station. His car had been a casualty of his skirmish with Jansen, and he decided to take the train back to New York.

He sat down and opened his newspaper. A few moments later he felt someone watching him. Looking up he noticed a small girl with two brown ponytails leaning over the back of a chair. The sparkle in her large blue-green eyes hinted at the smile hidden behind the teddy bear's head.

"Dawn, honey, come here," said the man beside the girl and pulled her into his lap. He turned to Connor. "It's her first train ride."

"I bet that's exciting," Connor said to the girl who nodded giggling. "Is it your first time in New York?"

"Actually we're just in the process of moving there," the man explained. "I was offered a job, and since we don't have anything holding us here in Boston, we decided to go for it before Dawn started school."

A woman joined them, and the girl moved over to her lap.

"By the way, I'm Hank Summers, and this is my wife, Joyce, and our daughter, Dawn," the man introduced.

"And Toby," Dawn said.

"And Toby the Teddy Bear," Hank added.

"Connor MacLeod," he replied shaking hands with everyone including Toby which sent Dawn into another fit of giggles.

They boarded the train soon after. Connor sat behind the family allowing him and Dawn to play a rousing game of peek-a-boo for about forty-five minutes before Joyce was able to coax the girl to take a nap. By the time he came back from the restroom, she was curled up on the seat with her eyes closed and a chokehold on Toby. Taking his cue from her, he sat down and fell asleep.


	2. We Interrupt Our Regularly Scheduled

Author's Note: Given the nature of the story summary, you may be able to predict what will happen in this chapter. If this has the potential to trigger unpleasant memories, feel free to skip to chapter 3. I know this warning may sound excessive, but I have almost posted this chapter at least twice and both times, similar events have occurred just before doing so.

Chapter 2: "We Interrupt Our Regularly Scheduled Programming…"

Rachel Ellenstein put away the last of the supper dishes. Connor's phone call helped ease her mind a bit, but she was always anxious when it came to immortal business. She understood that it was a part of his life that he couldn't ignore, but she couldn't deny the fear of losing the man who had raised her as his own daughter.

She went to the living room of her apartment and turned on the television. She was pouring herself a glass of single malt scotch when the newsflash caught her attention.

"We're live at the scene of the accident. The train was heading from Boston to New York City when it derailed just after entering the state. There are nineteen confirmed dead and forty-five seriously injured though these numbers may change as rescue workers search the rubble."

Rachel grabbed her coat and purse and ran out the door.

-oOo-

The first breath after dying was never easy. It was usually a choking intake of air that made the whole chest ache as the body's functions jump-started back to life.

Connor was dimly aware of flashing lights and loud voices. Groaning, he slowly shoved some debris away as he got himself into a sitting position and surveyed the surrounding destruction. Scorched pieces of metal were everywhere. The firefighters had the blaze under control which resulted in a stifling humidity that blanketed the scene. The unmistakable scent of charred flesh permeated the air.

Merde, Connor thought as he heard someone coming toward him.

"Sir, sir! Are you all right?" the young paramedic asked.

"Yeah," he said slowly getting to his feet.

"Sir, you shouldn't move until we check you out."

Suddenly a desperate shriek sliced through the night. "Mommy! Daddy!"

The two men turned and found Dawn by some burnt seat cushions. Her head whipped everywhere searching for her parents. Connor's heart sank when he noticed two bodies twenty feet behind her.

A female rescue worker came and tried to check for injuries, but the girl struggled against her. When Dawn saw the bodies, she became hysterical. Connor pushed his way to the girl as she broke free from the rescue worker. Before she could get very far, Connor scooped her up in his arms. He felt the sobs rack her body as she buried her tear-streaked face in his neck.

-oOo-

Rachel brought the car to a halt. All sorts of people were milling around the scene including firefighters, police, paramedics and journalists. She found Connor sitting in an ambulance with a little girl. He held her hand as the EMT treated an assortment of cuts.

"You were very lucky that you were thrown clear of the accident," a police officer said as he closed his notebook. "You and the girl are the only survivors from that train car."

"So what's going to happen to Dawn?" Connor asked.

"We've done some preliminary work. Apparently, neither Hank nor Joyce Summers had any siblings and both sets of grandparents are deceased. My guess is that Child Services will take care of her, and she'll become a ward of the state."

Rachel recognized the bleak look in Dawn's eyes, the realization that one was alone in the world. She saw it in the mirror herself once in a while. Rachel also recognized the determined look in Connor's eyes.

"Would it be possible for Dawn to stay with me until the details are settled?" Connor asked.

The police officer eyed the vice grip the little girl had on the man's hand. "I'll go see what arrangements are being made and let you know."

I always wondered what it would be like to have a little sister, Rachel thought.


	3. Tales from the Kindergarten Set

Chapter 3: Tales from the Kindergarten Set (Dawn: Age 5)

"Here we are," Connor said as they stopped, hand in hand, in front of the imposing building. She stared at it rather pensively.

He stooped down so that they were at eye level. "Dawn, we talked about this. You'll get to meet other children and learn new things. Kindergarten will be fun. You'll see."

She remained clearly unconvinced.

"And I'll be right here waiting for you after school."

She regarded him with a solemn gaze. "Promise?"

"Promise."

Dawn turned her attention back to the school and took a deep breath. "Okay."

They walked into the building and were led to one of the classrooms. Inside were a number of children wearing uniforms similar to Dawn's. She looked about the room with a mix of cautiousness and curiosity. The teacher, a woman of indeterminable years and a very kind face, came toward them. Recognizing the signs of first day jitters, she introduced herself. "Hello. My name is Mrs. Mills."

"I'm Connor MacLeod, and this is Dawn Summers," he replied.

Mrs. Mills smiled at him then turned her attention to her new student. "Hello, Dawn. Would you like to come in and meet some of your classmates?"

Dawn waited a moment before releasing Connor's hand and taking hold of her teacher's. She allowed herself to be led into the room and glanced back once to give Connor a small smile.

He exhaled deeply only now realizing how nervous he was. He left the school and headed back to the shop. It had been seven months since Dawn came to live with him after her parents' deaths. A few months prior to the accident, he had changed his name from Russell Nash back to Connor MacLeod. Thanks to a well paid hacker, his background was relatively unblemished which helped expedite the custody proceedings.

Rachel adored her "little sister", and the feeling was mutual. It was Rachel who went through the Summers' belongings, chose things that she felt Dawn would want and arranged for the rest to be put in storage until the girl was older. She also put in extra time at the antique store which allowed Connor to spend more time with Dawn.

Dawn was slowly coming out of her shell. So long as he or Rachel was nearby, she was content. Connor chuckled as he recalled the time they went for high tea at the Waldorf-Astoria. Dawn declared in a loud voice that the hotel had the prettiest restroom she ever saw. The server was unperturbed by the outburst and confided that her daughter thought so too.

Connor walked past an empty playground and was reminded of what the therapist said during a counseling session. Though Dawn was dealing with her parents' deaths and adjusting to her new living arrangements, she felt that the girl needed to socialize with children her own age. Unfortunately, neither Connor nor Rachel had many acquaintances who had children. Connor would often take Dawn to the park, and though she mingled with the other children, she was quite shy.

Once Dawn became his ward, he began investigating schools. Addison Academy had an excellent, well-established reputation and was relatively close to the store. Connor denied Rachel's theory that he chose the school because the skirts were made of MacLeod tartan. Although, he had to admit that Dawn did look adorable in her uniform.

-oOo-

A few hours later Connor returned to pick up Dawn. Bubbling with excitement, she described the afternoon all the way home. After giving Rachel a hug, Dawn followed Connor into the elevator which took them to the living quarters above the store.

He slid the elevator gate open. "So what would you like for supper?"

"Pizza!" Dawn exclaimed as she climbed down the stairs to the main living area.

Big surprise, Connor thought with a grin then asked, "What would you like on it?"

"Anchovies!" she squealed jumping from the bottom step to the floor.

"Why don't you change into your play clothes, and I'll start supper?" he suggested.

"Okay," she said then sang as she went to her room. "Anchovies, anchovies, you're so yummy. I love it when you go in my tummy."

-oOo-

Supper consisted of anchovy pizza, salad, wine for Connor and Rachel, sparkling apple juice for Dawn and ice cream and strawberries for dessert.

"How was your first day of school?" Rachel asked when they sat down at the table.

"It was really neat," Dawn replied reaching for a piece of pizza. "There's a girl named Natasha, but she likes to be called Tasha. And there are two girls, Maria and Elena, and they're twins, and none of the other kids could tell them apart, but I could."

Connor and Rachel found out about Zoe who had a pet rabbit, Daniel who scraped his knee and got a happy face Band-Aid and Sean who drank a whole glass of juice in one gulp then got sick just before nap time.

After clearing the table, Connor suggested the other two watch a movie while he took care of the dishes. Like Rachel, he suspected that Dawn was a romantic as she selected "Sleeping Beauty". Once he finished cleaning up, he settled down on the couch beside the little girl. Her eyes always got wide during the final battle between the dragon and the prince.

Once the movie was over, Connor nudged Dawn's shoulder. "Time for bed."

"Okay," she sighed then turned to Rachel. "Would you tuck me in?"

"Of course, darling."

With that, Dawn gave Connor a noisy kiss on the cheek and went to her room singing the Sleeping Beauty Waltz. A few moments later they heard her run back.

"I forgot. We had to draw a picture of our family," Dawn said as she showed them a large piece of paper. In front of a large grey rectangle that bore a vague resemblance to the store were three figures.

"That's me, and that's you guys," she explained then pointed to two faces in the top left corner. "And that's Mommy and Daddy."

Connor saw Rachel's eyes glisten as she hugged the little girl. He took the picture. "Let's put it up where we'll always see it."

They went to the kitchen and posted it on the fridge.

"Perfect," he said as Dawn clapped.


	4. The FAO Schwarz Incident

Author's Note: May F.A.O. Schwarz NYC live on in memories, fanfic and YouTube videos.

Chapter 4: The F.A.O. Schwarz Incident (Dawn: Age 6)

"Do you know what you want to give Maria and Elena for their birthday?" Rachel asked Dawn as they entered F.A.O. Schwarz, one of the most famous toy stores in the world.

"Kind of," she said her eyes trying to take in everything. "I want to get them each something special. Lots of people give them the same thing or something they have to share 'cause they're twins."

They went past the large mechanical clock on the main floor and headed for the dolls. Dawn rejected several for a variety of reasons. As Rachel looked for some more dolls, Dawn caught a glimpse of a store clerk carrying the biggest teddy bear she had ever seen. The temptation was too great. She followed the clerk out of the doll department and past the puzzles to the stuffed animals' area.

The clerk placed the teddy bear on a large chair and left. Dawn stared at it in speechless delight. The teddy bear was bigger than she was. She turned to tell Rachel then realized to her horror that she was lost.

-oOo-

"What about this one?" Rachel asked then looked down to find Dawn nowhere to be seen. Quickly putting the doll back on the shelf, she went down the aisle. After frantically scouring the doll department without any luck, Rachel extended her search.

She felt an inexplicable pull toward the puzzles. She heard someone sniffling and a man with a British accent say, "let's find a salesperson and then we can call for your guardian."

Rounding a corner, she found a man squatting down beside a tearful Dawn. When the girl noticed Rachel, she broke into a run. Rachel, in turn, fell to her knees and caught Dawn in her arms. "Oh my darling, are you all right?"

"Where were you? You were gone! I looked everywhere!" Dawn sobbed as she pressed her face into Rachel's shoulder.

"Shh, it's okay. I'm here. You're safe," she said soothingly. She stood up when she noticed the man Dawn had been talking to had followed her.

"We were about to go to the staff and have you paged," he said.

"Thank you very much for your help," she replied squeezing Dawn's hand.

"Thank you," the girl added softly.

"You're both welcome," he assured them.

-oOo-

Later that evening after tucking Dawn into bed, Connor returned to the living room, poured two large glasses of single malt scotch and gave one to Rachel. "Here, I think you need this."

She took a big sip. "Oh, Connor, I can't believe I lost her."

"Rachel, it happens to every parent and child," he consoled. "I still remember losing you in the Louvre when you were ten."

"You know, I remember every time I go there, too," she replied with a small smile then said contemplatively, "it was a little strange."

"What was?"

"I overheard the man who found Dawn suggest that they find a salesperson to page Dawn's guardian not parent," she explained. "I mean 'guardian' is a pretty specific choice of words."

Connor raised an eyebrow. "That is a bit odd."


	5. The Birth of the Dawnmeister Chronicles

Chapter 5: The Birth of the Dawnmeister Chronicles (Dawn: Age 7)

Dear Diary,

My name is Dawn Summers, and I am seven years old today. Rachel gave me this diary for my birthday and said I can write anything I want to inside even secrets.

I live in New York City with Connor. I met him the same night Mommy and Daddy died. I have lived with him ever since. He owns a store where he sells old things. We live upstairs. It is really neat. We have to take an elevator to get there.

Rachel works in the store but does not live with us. She is the best. She is like my fairy godmother. We do lots of things together like go to movies, plays and museums.

My favorite thing to do is read. I like fairy tales and magic stories best. Connor tells me stories about Juan Sanchez Villa Lobos Ramirez. They are great.

We have a piano, and I started piano lessons. It is fun, but you have to practice. Connor says I am going to take judo lessons. He knows lots about stuff like that. He also says that if I want I can try fencing. That could be fun. Like Peter Pan.

Yesterday we went to the zoo. The peacocks are my favorites. I think because they remind me of Ramirez because Connor calls him a Spanish peacock because his cape is made of peacock feathers. The zoo has four peacocks, but they did not have their tails open. Connor said that if I wished really hard maybe they would open. So I wished and wished, and the birds turned to us and opened their tails at the same time. It was so cool!

I go to Addison Academy. I am weird because I like school. My best friends are Tasha, Zoe, Maria and Elena. I met them in kindergarten, and we have been best friends ever since.

We went to Chuck E. Cheese for my birthday. All my friends came. It was fun. Most got pepperoni pizza, but I got Canadian-style bacon since they didn't have anchovies.

Connor gave me a new chain for my locket. It has pictures of Mommy and Daddy. I always wear it so I have them close. I miss them, but I am lucky I have Connor and Rachel.


	6. Separation Anxiety

Chapter 6: Separation Anxiety (Dawn: Age 8)

She sighed from the doorway as he packed. He stopped, sat on the bed and motioned for her to come into the room. "I have to go."

"Why?" Dawn asked plaintively.

"I have to see my cousin. It's very important, and I can't do this over the phone."

"But we were going to go to 'The Lion King'."

"Maybe Lorraine could go with you and Rachel."

"I guess," she said eyes down.

Connor lifted her chin up. "Hey, I'll be back as soon as I can. I'll phone every night."

"Promise?"

"Promise. Hakuna Matata?"

She sniffed once then nodded. "Hakuna Matata."

He gave her a big hug then sent her out of his bedroom so he could finish packing. He was almost done when a second figure darkened the doorway.

"All set?" Rachel asked.

"Just about," he replied and turned to find the same look he had seen in Dawn's eyes now in Rachel's. "I have to warn him that Slan is on his way."

"I know," she said as she walked into the room and straightened his collar. "Just watch your head, okay? Both of your daughters want you to come home in one piece."

-oOo-

Connor sank into the large comfortable seat in first class. It was a six hour flight to Seacouver. He knew he should rest while he had a chance, but Dawn's disappointed face kept appearing in his mind's eye.

Face it, MacLeod, he thought. That girl has you wrapped around her little finger.

He wasn't too surprised by her reaction. This was the first time they had been apart for more than a night let alone left behind.

But as much as he wanted to stay home, he had to warn Duncan. Rumor had it that his clansman had been out of the Game for a decade. He had to be sure that Duncan was prepared.

-oOo-

Much to Connor's relief, Duncan wasn't entirely out of practice as they sparred in an abandoned warehouse. The older immortal did smirk at the younger one's outfit. With the flowing white shirt, black pants, ponytail and sword, Duncan looked like something from the covers of those romance novels Rachel read. They took a break and got caught up.

"You what?!" Duncan asked incredulously as he wiped the back of his neck with a towel.

"I've adopted a little girl," Connor repeated. "Remember that train accident outside of New York three years ago? Dawn and I were the only survivors from our car. It was a bonding experience."

"Only survivors? She's not…"

"No, she's not immortal, thank god," Connor said shaking his head. "Could you imagine being an immortal stuck in a four year-old's body?"

Duncan contemplated that thought for a moment. "Do you have a picture?"

Connor smiled a bit self-consciously and reached in his back pocket for his wallet. "It's her second grade picture."

Duncan took a look. "Nice uniform. How does Rachel like her baby sister?"

"Dawn's like a granddaughter to her," he said as he put his wallet away. "I'm starting to realize what Rachel may have given up. It's like a second chance for both of us."

"Have you told Dawn about immortals?"

"No. I've told her stories of Ramirez, but she thinks they're just made up. Rachel was much older when I told her the truth. Besides, when we first met, she saw me die and come back to life. Things have been surprisingly quiet in New York so the issue hasn't been forced," Connor said focusing on the carved handle of his katana. "Should something happen to me, Rachel will have power of attorney and guardianship of Dawn. But if something happens to her…"

"I promise Dawn will be taken care of," Duncan said putting his hand reassuringly on the other man's shoulder.


	7. Sights from the Seine

Chapter 7: Sights from the Seine (Dawn: Age 9)

"They live on a boat! They live on a boat!" Dawn squealed as Connor brought the car to a stop.

He had a two week business trip in and around Paris and decided to take Dawn and Rachel with him. During a visit with Darius, Connor found out that Duncan and Tessa were in town. He gave them a call and was told to stop by the next day.

Connor sensed his kinsman as he helped Dawn out of the car. They met them at the end of the pier.

"Dawn, I'd like you to meet my cousin, Duncan, and his friend, Tessa," he introduced then grinned to the couple, "This is Dawn."

"Nice to meet you, Dawn," Duncan said shaking her hand.

"Hello," she smiled a bit shyly.

"Shall we go in?" Tessa suggested motioning to the barge. The rest followed her up the plank.

Dawn carefully wiped her shoes on the doormat then scampered down the stairs. The interior was warm and inviting with comfortable furniture, a tapestry on one wall and sunlight streaming in from the windows above. The adults got settled while Dawn stood on tiptoe and looked through a porthole. She giggled and repeated the process for each porthole pausing once to examine the Japanese screen at the head of the bed. After she was finished, she sat down beside Connor on the couch.

"So where's Rachel?" Duncan asked.

"She's back at the hotel packing. She's taking the train to Antibes to visit an old schoolmate for a few days," Connor explained catching a flash of worry on Dawn's face.

"Are you enjoying Paris?" Tessa asked the nine year-old.

"Uh-huh," she nodded, "We saw the Arc de Triomphe, and there are twelve streets that start there. Then we went up the Eiffel Tower, and you can see the whole city. Then we went to the Louvre, but Rachel didn't want to go so it was just Connor and me, and we saw Mona Lisa and Venus de Milo and the lady with wings and no head. Most of the statues had no clothes. And then we went to the Musee d'Orsey which used to be a train station, but now it's an art museum. There were more naked stuff there, but they had other things too. I liked the 14 year-old ballerina and 'The Circus' and 'Dancing at the…,' um, '…at the…'"

She turned to Connor who replied, "Moulin de la Galette."

"Yeah, that one," she continued, "and Connor says we can go on a boat ride on the Seine."

They chuckled at her exuberance.

"Would you like to go on one today?" Tessa asked.

"Really?" Dawn asked hopefully.

"We have a speedboat, and Tessa used to be a tour guide," Duncan said.

-oOo-

Soon the four of them were going up the river and past Notre Dame Cathedral. Duncan skillfully piloted the boat as Tessa pointed out various sites.

"That is the Conciergerie," she said. "It was a prison during the French Revolution 200 years ago."

"That's when they cut off people's heads, right?" Dawn asked startling Tessa and Duncan with her knowledge and drawing a shrug from Connor.

"Right," Tessa said as they came up to a bridge, "and that's the oldest bridge in Paris."

"What's it called?" Dawn asked.

"Pont Neuf," she replied.

"What's it mean?"

"New Bridge," Tessa said.

"Weird," Dawn commented as she took a picture of it with the camera Connor had given her before they left New York. "Hey, there's the Louvre."

They continued upstream passed the Musee d'Orsay, Jardin des Tuileries and, further along, the Eiffel Tower.

"It's the Statue of Liberty!" Dawn exclaimed as they rounded another tree-lined islet.

"It was given to Paris a hundred years ago by the American community living in the city at the time," Tessa said.

"It faces the one back home," Connor added.

"Cool!" Dawn said snapping several pictures.

Twenty minutes later they were having refreshments on the deck of the barge. Connor kept a watchful eye on Dawn as she explored.

"So what are your plans while Rachel's out of town?" Duncan asked.

"We're going to Disneyland Paris!" Dawn clapped and skipped back to the adults.

"Really?" he said surprised by the choice.

"Really," Connor smiled as though reading his mind. "You and Tessa should join us."

"Yeah! It'll be fun!" Dawn said.

"I don't know," Duncan said hesitantly.

"Please," the little girl implored.

Connor watched as the other immortal's defenses crumbled easily against the assault of Dawn's puppy dog pout and knew he would have some adult company when they went to visit one of the happiest places on earth.


	8. The Happiest Place on Earth

Chapter 8: The Happiest Place on Earth, Parisian Style

"Dawn, wait up," Connor called out causing the girl to stop about twenty feet ahead of them.

She shifted impatiently from foot to foot. "C'mon, you guys are slowpokes."

Once the adults caught up, Dawn grabbed Duncan's hand and dragged him toward the entrance.

Tessa laughed. "She's sure excited."

"And distracted," Connor added then noted the questioning look in the woman's eyes. "We took Rachel to the train station before coming here. Dawn gets very nervous when it comes to trains. She can barely stand a three-stop subway ride back home. That was the main reason for coming here."

Tessa smiled understandingly and linked her arm with his. "Then we will make sure she's distracted."

-oOo-

They began in Fantasyland with the "Peter Pan Ride". Dawn laughed in delight as she and Connor soared over London in a flying pirate ship. They walked over to Discoveryland and went on "Star Tours", a simulator ride that flung them around quite a bit. Opting for something slower next, they went on "It's a Small World" where Tessa and Dawn pointed at all the different dolls.

They proceeded to Adventureland and went on the "Pirates of the Caribbean". Dawn's eyes were wide as she took in all the scenes. At the end of the ride was a restaurant. Enchanted, Dawn asked if they could eat there, and Connor said yes. Outside it was a bright sunny day in France, but inside it was a cool moonlit night in the Caribbean. They ate on the shore of a pirate's hideaway as boats of people going on the ride slowly drifted by.

While Connor paid the bill and Tessa went to the restroom, Dawn convinced Duncan to go on the ride again. This time she summoned enough courage to sit in the front of the boat. As they passed by a pirate's bedroom filled with gold, Dawn asked, "Do you have any treasure in that chest you have on the barge?"

Duncan leaned in close. "Can you keep a secret?"

"Uh-huh."

"So can I," he grinned.

"No fair," she pouted good-naturedly as the boat floated through the burning village.

Once they finished the ride, they met the other two in the souvenir shop where Dawn got a toy sword.

The small group continued onto Frontierland where Connor was successful in steering Dawn away from Big Thunder Mountain, a popular rollercoaster ride with a train theme. Instead, they went to the Phantom Manor. The cemetery that led up to the haunted mansion had some very humorous epitaphs. Dawn gasped in fascination as one room grew taller, a bunch of ghosts waltzed in a ballroom and another ghost suddenly appeared between her and Connor.

For a change of pace, they took a ride on the Mark Twain Paddle Steamer. Duncan and Tessa sat down on some seats near the front while Dawn and Connor went exploring.

"Does this boat bring back any memories?" Tessa asked.

"A few, but it's not exactly the same," Duncan smiled as he put his arm around her shoulders. "Let's just say that back in the day, things weren't so tidy."

After the paddle boat docked, Connor convinced Dawn to go on a short ride on the 19th century steam train that encircled Disneyland Paris. She nervously agreed but had a firm grip on Connor and Duncan's hands as they made the short trip back to Fantasyland. As soon as the train pulled into the station and they were given the all-clear, Dawn scampered off the car.

"Well, it's a start," Connor said following her.

"Let's explore the castle," she suggested excitedly.

"Le Chateau de la Belle au Bois Dormant," Tessa said.

"It sounds so pretty in French," Dawn said wistfully.

"Why don't you and Tessa go, and Duncan and I will wait here," Connor said.

"Partypoopers," the little girl said then took the woman's proffered hand. "They say there's a dragon in the dungeon."

"Then it's a good thing you have a sword coming out of your knapsack," Tessa said causing Dawn to giggle.

The men laughed as they watched the other two entered the castle.

"Well, I think she's been sufficiently distracted," Connor said.

"What are your plans for tomorrow?" Duncan asked as they sat down on a nearby bench.

"Thought I'd take Dawn to some chateaux south of the city then head back to Paris."

"She's a great kid."

"Yeah, she's pretty terrific, and Tessa's an amazing woman."

"She is that," Duncan agreed thoughtfully. Seeing how well her and Dawn got along brought some unwelcome feelings of guilt that he would never be able to give her the family she deserved.

Somehow sensing his kinsman's thoughts, Connor said, "You know the both of you are welcome to visit us in New York anytime you want. Just call first. I wouldn't want to pull a sword on a friend."

Duncan chuckled, and they talked of immortal business while they waited. Ten minutes later, Tessa and Dawn emerged from the castle.

"I saw the dragon! I saw the dragon!" Dawn exclaimed as she ran toward the men. "It was sleeping, but I saw it! Hey Connor, don't you think that Tessa's just as pretty as Sleeping Beauty?"

"Absolutely," he agreed as the woman in question blushed slightly.

"Does that make me Prince Charming?" Duncan asked.

"Absolutely," Tessa said kissing him on the cheek which sent Dawn giggling.

-oOo-

The day before they left for home, Connor, Dawn and Rachel visited the barge one last time. Also there was Richie who wasn't quite the street punk he was ten months ago. Rachel and Tessa got to know each other while the men chatted. Dawn spent the time staring at the chest and imagining what was inside.

Duncan noticed how captivated she was. "Do you want to open it?"

"Can I?" she asked hopefully.

Tessa and Duncan both nodded, and the girl knelt before the chest and slowly lifted the lid. The only thing inside was a rolled up piece of paper. She took it out, untied the ribbon and unrolled the sheet. Her eyes got wide. "It's us!"

She got up and handed the paper to Connor. It was a sketching of Dawn and him. "It's beautiful, Tessa. Thank you."

"Yes, thank you," Dawn said giving the woman a hug.

"You'll have to come to New York for a visit," Rachel invited.

"Yes, it'll be fun!" Dawn said.

"Maybe some day," Duncan replied.


	9. Bad Dreams

Chapter 9: Bad Dreams

"Thanks for calling, and watch your head," Connor said then hung up the phone.

The bell on the front door rang out as Rachel came in. "Good morning. Did Dawn get off to school okay?"

"Just got back from taking her," he said distractedly.

She paused in the middle of hanging up her coat. "What is it?"

"Duncan called."

"How are things in Paris?"

"Darius is dead."

"What?! How? He never left holy ground," Rachel said dumbfounded by the news.

"Duncan and Fitzcairn are investigating," Connor said then lifted a hand to touch her face. "Hey, it'll be okay."

She managed a small smile, but inwardly she couldn't help but worry. She had known Darius most of her life. He had been one of the few immortals Connor trusted and had been a Roman general before becoming a monk. If someone could get to Darius on holy ground, then someone just changed the rules of the Game.

-oOo-

Six Weeks Later

The thunderstorm raged outside causing her to burrow under the bedcovers. A kaleidoscope of strange images flowed through her mind as she slept. The faces of Duncan, Richie and Tessa faded in and out accompanied by the clash of swords. The dream was punctuated by the shot of a gun. Gasping she woke up just as a thunderclap tore through the night.

Dawn's heart pounded in her chest as she sat bolt upright in bed. The wind pelted the rain against the large windows of her room. Slowly her breathing returned to normal, but a strange sense of unease came over her. Her lower lip trembled as she debated calling for Connor.

"Stop being silly," she said out loud and almost had herself convinced. She reached for Ramirez, the teddy bear Connor gave her to replace Toby who was lost in the train accident, and felt a little better. Lying back down, she pulled the covers up to her chin, cuddled her bear close and waited for the rain to lull her to sleep.

-oOo-

"Dawn, you up?" Connor called out as he set the table for breakfast. He heard a muffled acknowledgement. "Cereal or toast?"

"Cereal, please," she said rubbing an eye sleepily as she came to the table.

He frowned as she sat down. "Bad night?"

She replied yawned then handed him her brush and comb. "Storm woke me up."

"French braid?"

"Yes, please."

He brushed her long brown hair as she ate her cereal. Settling into their daily routine, he was almost finished the braid when the phone rang.

"Shoot," he muttered then said to Dawn, "hold this."

She reached back, grabbed the end of the ponytail and continued to eat her breakfast.

"Hello?"

"Hi, Connor?"

"Richie?" he asked surprised causing Dawn to look at him quizzically.

"Yeah," the young man said. "Something's happened."

"Duncan?" he asked as Dawn continued to watch him.

"No, it's Tessa. She was shot last night by a mugger." Richie paused. "She's dead."

Connor closed his eyes briefly. "How's Duncan?"

"Pretty much in shock. We both are. I just thought you should know."

"Thanks for calling. I really appreciate it," Connor said then hung up the phone. He turned to Dawn who had stopped eating.

"What did Richie want?" she asked knowing that it was bad news.

"It's Tessa," he said watching her carefully. "She was killed last night."

"How?" she asked her lower lip trembling.

"She was shot by a mugger."

"No."

"Dawn…"

"No!" she shouted and ran to her room.

He followed and found her crying on her bed. "Come here," he said hugging her tightly.

"They were supposed to come here for Christmas, and we were going to go to "The Nutcracker" and go to the Museum of Modern Art and to F.A.O. Schwarz, and I wasn't going to get lost this time, and now she's gone, and it's my fault," she sobbed.

It was that last declaration that startled him. "What?"

She pulled out of his arms. "I had a dream last night. Duncan and Richie and Tessa were there, and there were swords and a gunshot."

"Dawn, it was just a dream."

"But maybe if I had dreamt it earlier, we could have warned her."

"That you had a dream? Tessa was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Your dream was a coincidence. Nothing more. Her death was not your fault, okay?"

Dawn wiped her eyes. "Okay."

-oOo-

Tessa's funeral was held four days later in Seacouver. Connor was going to make the trip by himself, but Dawn and Rachel insisted on accompanying him.

It was a small affair. Aside from the "family", some members of the Seacouver art community that had known Tessa were in attendance. Dawn stood close to Rachel who held an umbrella. Immovable as a statue, Duncan stood by the gravesite. Heedless of the persistent drizzle, his sole focus was on the casket that was being lowered into the ground.

Once the priest finished the service, the attendees offered Duncan their condolences and slowly left until only the family remained. Rachel and Dawn went up to him.

"You're going to catch a cold," Rachel gently chided and used her free hand to fuss with the collar of his dark wool coat.

Duncan chuckled mirthlessly. "It's not like I'll die from it."

"That's not the point," she said then stroked his cheek. "If you need anything, you call us."

"I will," he replied kissing her forehead then squatted down in front of Dawn.

The girl looked at him with solemn eyes then flung herself into his arms. "I'm sorry," she cried softly.

"I know," Duncan said as her arms tightened around his neck. Remembering what Connor had told him about her dream, he reinforced, "this was not your fault."

Eventually she released her chokehold, and Rachel took her hand as Connor came forward. "Come on. Let's give these two some time."

They slowly walked toward the car leaving the two Scotsmen alone. They watched as Connor gave Duncan a hug then went to talk to Richie.

Dawn's attention turned back to the grave. "It's not fair."

Rachel thought back to the beautiful woman with the old soul that she had met in Paris. "No, it's not."


	10. One Minute Past Midnight

Chapter 10: One Minute Past Midnight (Dawn: Age 10)

In four hundred years, Connor had never experience anything quite like it. Ever since Dawn was eight, she wanted to read Harry Potter. Concerned that some of the themes might be a little intense for her, he said she had to wait until she was a bit older. On the way back from Paris, they stopped in London. Connor relented and bought a copy of "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone" in the Heathrow Airport. Dawn read the entire book on the plane ride home. By the time they reached New York, she was completely hooked, and Connor had been paying for it (quite literally) every since. As a result, he found himself standing in line along with Dawn, Tasha, her mother Sofia and about one hundred other people outside of Bookfaire awaiting the release of "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire".

It was 11:52 pm. The bibliophiles were getting restless and began chanting "Harry! Harry!" Dawn and Tasha looked like they would burst from excitement. Soon it was midnight, and the final countdown began. "59, 58, 57, …"

At 12:01 am, a brave young clerk opened Bookfaire's doors and quickly moved out of the way before he got trampled. All things considered, the chaos was relatively orderly. While the parents stood in line to pay for the books, the kids explored the store. It was like a carnival. The staff were dressed like characters from the books. Much to the delight of the children, a magician was performing tricks. A table labeled "Honeydukes" had treats like cauldron cupcakes, witches' brooms and spider's web cookies. Dawn and Tasha brought some bat-shaped cookies to the adults before scampering off to the Ollivander's table to make wands.

By the time Connor and Sofia made their purchases, the girls had their very own wands, sorcerer's caps, balloon dragons and lightning bolt scars painted on their foreheads. They were about to take out their books when Sofia's hands closed over the top of the bags.

"Not until we get home or else we'll never leave," she said. Eyeing the children scattered about on the store's floor reading their own copies, Connor agreed.

The girls sighed but acquiesced. As they left, the kids brandished their wands chanting "swish and flick."

Other people were also attempting to hail cabs to get home. As they waited, many tried reading their books by streetlight. One girl pulled out a flashlight as she got into a taxi so that she could read during the ride.

"Why didn't we think of that?" Tasha demanded.

Dawn looked up, pointed her wand at the streetlamp and with her best 'swish and flick' said, "Luminare!"

They were finally able to catch a cab, and the girls eagerly opened the bags and took out their books. Soon they were so engrossed in the first chapter that they didn't even stop to wonder why there was enough light by which to read.

-oOo-

"Who would have thought I'd ever use my espresso machine to make hot chocolate?" Connor muttered as he frothed the milk. Expertly pouring the milk into a mug, he took the drink, walked down the hall and knocked on the door.

"Come in," Dawn said.

He opened the door and found her lying on her bed. She was already a quarter through the book with no sign of stopping. She sat up, and he handed her the mug.

"You sure you wouldn't like some marshmallows?" he asked.

"No, thank you," she said making a face. Ever since her classmate, Sean, told her that mini-marshmallows were actually monkey brains, she hadn't been able to stomach them in her hot chocolate. She sipped the drink appreciatively. "The foam is way better."

He leaned against the door. "I know this is an exercise in futility, but try to get some sleep, okay?"

"I make no promises," she replied with a mischievous honesty.

"Good night," he said and turned to go.

"Connor," she said stopping him. "Thanks for everything. You're the best."

"You're welcome," he smiled then closed her door.

Dawn spooned the foam savoring every bit but was soon lured back to the book.

Several hours later she knew she had to stop. She put the book and her balloon dragon on her nightstand. Beside the book was Ramirez looking quite dashing in the sorcerer's cap. It didn't take long for her to fall asleep. She began to murmur something unconsciously, and unbeknownst to her, the dragon slowly levitated.

-oOo-

Author's Note: Many thanks to those who are following and/or have "alerted" this story. Because it was bought in London, Dawn's copy is "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone" rather than "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" which is the American title.


	11. Happy Father's Day

Chapter 11: Happy Father's Day (Dawn: Age 11)

Connor slowly came out of a deep sleep. His nose twitched as he caught the smell of something burning undercut with the scent of very strong coffee. He was debating whether or not to open his eyes when his bedroom door burst open.

"Happy Father's Day!" Dawn shouted.

"I'm up," Connor sputtered as he abruptly sat up and got a headrush in the process.

She giggled as he opened his eyes wide in an effort to wake up completely. She came in followed by Rachel who carried a tray.

"Rachel came over to help," the eleven year-old explained. "She did the actual cooking, but I got everything ready."

"That she did," Rachel said with a twinkle in her eye and placed the tray on Connor's lap.

Dawn sat beside him as he dug into the scrambled eggs. One bite had his eyes watering. She saw the reaction and bit her lip. "I accidentally put too much pepper in the eggs. I tried to scoop it out before Rachel cooked it, but I couldn't get all of it."

"It's fine," he said reaching for the mug.

"She also made the coffee herself," Rachel added as he took a sip.

"Mmm, strong," he said taking comfort in the knowledge that the enamel on his teeth would grow back.

The toast was a bit burnt, but the bacon was extra crispy and the orange juice freshly squeezed. "This is wonderful, thank you," he said.

"It's only the beginning," Dawn said and handed him an envelope.

Inside the card were two tickets to that day's New York Yankees/Boston Red Sox baseball game.

"She saved up her allowance and chose the seats herself," Rachel explained.

"I wanted to take you someplace special," Dawn said. "Someplace you'd enjoy. Sort of a thanks for coming with me and my friends to that rock concert."

"It was my pleasure," he said thankful that his hearing came back.

-oOo-

They ended up in the top row of the bleachers in right field. It was Cap Day, and Dawn and Connor wore their free Yankees baseball caps proudly. After buying some sodas and a bag of popcorn to share, they settled in for a good game.

It was a real nail-biter right to the end. The Red Sox were ahead by one run at the bottom of the ninth inning, and the Yankees were up to bat. There were two out, and the bases were loaded. The tension was palatable. Everything rested on the shoulders of a young rookie the Yankees brought up from the minor leagues and the Red Sox closer who was on a hot streak. The umpire had called two strikes and three balls so the next pitch would decide the game.

The entire stadium held its breath as the pitcher threw a fastball. The rookie swung with all his might and connected. The place erupted as the runners ran as fast as they could. The ball sailed out toward right field. Everyone in the bleachers stood up and raised their hands in an effort to catch the ball.

-oOo-

"Connor plucked it right out of the air with his bare hands," Dawn said in amazement.

After the game, they went to Rachel's for supper. Dawn described the entire game for the older woman's benefit. Rachel took in the information good-naturedly and was glad that Connor finally had someone to go to the games with. Conner returned the ball to Shapiro who signed another ball for them. The General Manager also gave them Yankees' jackets and other merchandise much to Dawn's delight.

"It was Shapiro's first major league grand slam so the ball may be a collector's item," Connor said.

Wide-eyed, Dawn quickly swallowed a bite of pasta primavera. "You're not gonna sell it are you?"

He looked at her and smiled. "I would never sell such a wonderful memento of a wonderful day."


	12. Her First Dance

Chapter 12: Her First Dance (Dawn: Age 12)

"Wow," Connor said as Dawn self-consciously walked out of her room.

It was the night of the twelve year-old's first dance. She wore a velvet dress the colour of good sherry. Rachel styled her hair so the long brown locks fell down her back in a mass of curls.

"I look okay?" Dawn asked hesitantly as she smoothed out the dress.

"Very okay," he replied as Rachel got her camera.

"Smile," she said snapping a picture of the two.

"Ready to go?" Connor asked shrugging on his trenchcoat.

"Uh-huh," she said as he helped her on with her coat.

-oOo-

Addison Academy insisted that the students' parents participate in most school activities. It was this policy that had Connor patrolling the halls looking for wayward students. He had already found a young teenage couple kissing in the art classroom.

Feeling the need for fresh air, Connor decided to take a stroll in the school's courtyard. He quietly opened the door and was still in the shadows when he heard some voices.

"Check out what I scored from the old man's stash."

Connor took a peek and recognized three of Dawn's classmates.

"Big deal," Daniel said unimpressed. "It's a cigar."

"It's not just any cigar," Sean said holding it up to the light. "It's a Cuban."

"That's illegal," Daniel pointed out.

"Not if it was bought in 1958," Sean sneered.

"Wow, that's older than my dad," Andrew said.

"Grandpa got a couple of boxes back when you still could," Sean explained. "The filler is made of five types of leaves handpicked and naturally fermented for two years then handrolled by a 75 year-old man who learnt the technique from his grandfather."

"Yeah, well it smells like a 75 year-old man's grandfather," Daniel said causing Connor to chuckle softly.

"Don't be a wuss," Sean said rolling his eyes.

"Yeah, don't be a wuss," Andrew echoed but with far less conviction.

Unable to resist, Connor took another look and winced as Sean bit into one end and spat out the tip. That's not how one should treat a cigar of that caliber, he thought. Catching the grimace the boy made, he knew exactly what was going to happen next.

Not wanting to lose face in front of his friends, Sean handed Andrew a disposable lighter and said to light it. Andrew did as he was told, and Sean stuck the end of the cigar into the flame.

Connor made himself known just as the young man inhaled to get the cigar lit. "Hello, boys."

"Mr. MacLeod!" Andrew sputtered dropping the lighter.

"Oh, don't let me interrupt," Connor said.

After a moment's hesitation, Sean took a big puff from the cigar and immediately turned green. "Aw, man!"

Here we go, Connor thought as the would-be cigar aficionado bent over and retched. He expertly took the cigar from Sean's fingers. "A 1959 Manzanillo. That was the year Castro took over Cuba."

Not wanting to let the Manzanillo go to waste, Connor took a puff and continued. "Alaska and Hawaii joined the Union. The Dalai Lama left Tibet for India. The Russian probe Luna 2 took the first pictures from the far side of the moon."

Andrew and Daniel's gazes kept shifting between their friend who was still heaving and the man who giving a history lesson while smoking a cigar.

"The San Francisco Giants named their new stadium Candlestick Park, and the Guggenheim Museum opened," Connor said blowing several rings of smoke then patted Sean on the back. "Let it all out, son."

Ten minutes later Connor re-entered the gym and smiled as he saw Dawn and her friends dancing. He saw Tasha's mother manning the refreshment table.

"Punch?" Sophia offered.

"Thank you," he accepted.

"How did the hallway patrol go?" she asked.

"The usual," he replied.

The woman shook her head. "They're growing up so fast."

"Yes, they are," Connor agreed as he watched Dawn slow dance with a young man he didn't know. "A bit too fast."


	13. Birthday Traditions

Chapter 13: Birthday Traditions (Dawn: Age 13)

"How many guests are you expecting?" Connor asked.

"Just Tasha, Zoe, Maria and Elena," Dawn replied.

He looked down at the cart full of microwave popcorn, potato chips, nachos, dip and salsa. "Got everything you need?"

"Just about," she said putting five big bottles of soda into the cart.

Ten months ago on Tasha's thirteenth birthday, the girls had a slumber party, and a tradition was born. Dawn was the youngest of the group, and expectations were high.

"What topping do you want for the waffles tomorrow?" he asked as they walked by the fruit section of the grocery store.

"Strawberries, please," she requested and left to get more supplies. She returned with three canisters of whipping cream and two tubes of chocolate chip cookie dough. Connor was about to comment when she rushed off again. "Almost forgot the ice cream."

-oOo-

"You're a brave man, Connor," Fernando Rodriguez said as Maria, Elena and Zoe entered the antique store. Being the father of five girls, he had an idea of what the other man was in for. "Good luck."

"Thanks," Connor smiled good-naturedly. He locked the store's door and led the girls into the elevator that went up to the living quarters.

"Hi, guys!" Dawn called out when they got the elevator.

"Shall I go get the pizzas?" Connor asked waiting by the elevator as Maria, Elena and Zoe climbed down the stairs.

"Yes, please," the girls said.

"What would you all like?" he asked.

"Seafood special," Dawn answered.

"Spinach and Feta," Zoe said.

"Deluxe vegetarian," Tasha replied.

"Cheeseburger," Maria smiled.

"Chicken Teriyaki and pineapple," Elena requested shyly.

"Pizza," Connor said slowly as they nodded cheerfully. "Okay, coming up."

"Thank you," the girls said and got settled in the living room area while Connor left to get the food.

"It's starting to rain," Zoe said looking out one of the large windows then turned back to her friends. "Dawn, you have the coolest house ever."

"Yeah, it is pretty neat," she smiled.

"So what's your, uh, Connor going to do tonight?" Maria asked unfurling her sleeping bag.

"Our dad always hides in his den whenever one of our sisters has a slumber party," Elena added fluffing her pillow.

"Connor has some paperwork for the store that he'll do in the back room downstairs. Then he said he planned on reading in his bedroom," Dawn said. "Guess what? He's gonna make us Belgian waffles for breakfast."

"He's, like, the funnest parent," Tasha said plugging in the curling irons.

"Yeah, he's pretty great," Dawn smiled and got drinks for her guests.

"He also has a terrific CD collection," Zoe remarked as she scanned through the discs of Queen, Rolling Stones and the Beatles.

"So ladies, where shall we start?" Tasha asked with a mischievous gleam in her eye. "Hair or nails?"

By the time Connor got back with the pizzas, the girls had elaborate coifs and funky manicures. At least, this time it was the nails that were blue rather than the hair.

He took a picture of the stylish group before taking his pizza and half a bottle of wine downstairs to give the girls some privacy. As he got settled, he could hear the faint sounds of Queen being played in the room above.


	14. Spiritboard and Seances

Chapter 14: Spiritboards and Séances

After supper came the gift opening. Dawn opened Tasha's present first, a book called 'A Young Witch's Guide to Spellcraft'.

"Cool! Thanks, Tash," Dawn said quickly skimming the table of contents.

"It's a pretty good introduction," Tasha said. "Really covers the basics."

"Ours next," Maria said handing Dawn a box.

"We wanted to get you something with your birthstone," Elena explained as Dawn began to unwrap it.

"But June has two," Maria continued.

"And we couldn't decide which to get," Elena added.

"So we got you both," the twins said in unison as Dawn opened the box.

"Oh wow," Dawn said removing the jewelry. "Thanks, guys."

"The moonstone ring's from me," Maria said as Dawn slipped it on her finger.

"And the freshwater pearls are from me," Elena said as she fastened the necklace around Dawn's throat.

"Good choice," Tasha said. "Both stones are known for their protective properties."

"And last but not least," Zoe said handing Dawn a medium-sized box.

She unwrapped it and inside was a suede-bound journal and a pen. "I've always wanted a fountain pen. Thanks, Zoe."

"And The Ink Well on Henderson has a rainbow of inks from crimson to magenta to indigo to midnight," Zoe said.

The girls then moved to the kitchen where they talked about boys and got snacks ready for the movie. By the time Connor came back upstairs, they were halfway through 'Practical Magic'. He bid them good night and went to his room.

-oOo-

"Storm's getting worse," Zoe said as she dimmed the lights.

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Elena asked as her sister and Dawn placed the candles in a circle.

"C'mon, Elena," Tasha said getting the ouija board set up. "It's tradition."

"She doesn't like storms," Maria explained causing her twin to stick out her tongue.

"It's just a little bad weather," Dawn said. The words barely came out of her mouth when a booming thunderclap had Elena wincing. "Okay, occasionally loud weather."

"The storm just adds atmosphere," Zoe said.

"Yeah, creepy atmosphere," Elena groaned.

"It'll be okay," Dawn reassured her as the others lit the candles.

"Ready?" Tasha asked as she glanced at the clock. It was 11:57.

"Ready," Dawn replied.

The tradition started on Tasha's birthday. Inspired by a story her cousin had told her, Tasha got an ouija board, and the girls used it during the slumber party. So far they had held a session during each birthday/slumber party.

The girls sat inside the circle of lit candles. The ouija board lay between Dawn and Tasha who would work it. Maria would take notes while Zoe and Elena watched. Dawn and Tasha placed their fingers on the pointer and moved it in a slow circle to get it 'warmed up' then stopped.

"Only positive energies and good spirits are welcomed here. Negative energies and evil spirits are not," Tasha intoned. "Is there a good spirit willing to speak to us?"

The pointer slowly moved to the 'YES' in the upper left corner of the board. The girls' eyes lit up with excitement.

"What is your name?" Tasha asked.

The pointer spelt out: J-A-C-K.

"When were you born?" Maria asked. As the appointed medium, Tasha repeated the question.

The pointer stopped at 1-8-9-6.

"When did you die?" Zoe asked, and Tasha repeated the question.

The pointer stopped at 1-9-0-6.

"Where are you from?" Elena asked, and once again Tasha repeated the question.

The pointer stopped at S and F.

"Do you have any words of wisdom for Dawn on her birthday?" Tasha asked.

The wind outside howled as the pointer went to the following letters: W-A-R-N.

The girls frowned as the pointer began to pick up speed and spelt: D-A-N-G-E-R.

Rain pelted the windows as the pointer continued to move faster: K-I-L-L-R-O-S-S.

"What is Dawn in danger of?" Tasha asked as the pointer paused briefly.

The pointer dashed all over the board: M-A-G-I-C.

Feeling the jewelry at her throat and finger warm inexplicably, Dawn asked, "Is magic real?"

With a jolt of energy that caused Dawn and Tasha's arms to ache, the pointer zipped to the YES. At that very moment, everything seemed to erupt. A flash of lightning followed by a deafening crack of thunder that shook the windows. The flames of the circle of candles flared upward two feet then went out. The girls screamed as the light bulbs of three dimmed lamps burst. Dawn and Tasha were even more startled when the pointer flew to the GOOD-BYE of its own accord. Usually the people ended the session rather than the board itself.

The girls yelped again as Connor rushed into the room with a flashlight. "Are you all right?"

"Yeah," Dawn nodded breathlessly.

"Storm," Elena whimpered softly.

"Be careful," Dawn said. "The bulbs of those lamps broke. I think it was power surge."

He went over to turn on some other lights but nothing happened. "Looks like the power's out. Would you like to re-light some candles?"

"No!" the girls exclaimed catching him off-guard.

"We have flashlights," Dawn added.

"Okay," Connor said and went to get a broom.


	15. Enter the Femme Fatale

Chapter 15: Enter the Femme Fatale (Dawn: Age 14)

"Connor, I'm home," Dawn called out as she slid the gate open and stepped off the elevator.

"In the kitchen," he called out.

She came down the stairs and froze just before she got to the floor. "Oh."

Connor was indeed in the kitchen, but he was not alone. He was sipping wine with a beautiful woman with very short black hair and dark brown eyes that danced with laughter.

They came around the kitchen's island to meet her at the foot of the stairs. "I'd like you to meet an old friend, Amanda LeFauve."

"Hello," Dawn said as they shook hands.

"Nice to finally meet you," Amanda smiled.

"Amanda's staying for supper," he said.

Dawn blinked. "Oh. Okay."

"Don't worry. We'll be finished before Tasha picks you up," Connor reassured her.

Dawn pinked sheepishly then looked down at her school uniform. "I'll go change."

-oOo-

They had a nice visit over supper which consisted of salmon stir-fry, rice and green tea ice cream. They were just finishing up when the phone rang.

"I'll get it," Dawn said and grabbed the receiver off the counter. She talked briefly then hung up. "Tasha'll be here in ten minutes."

"Go on," Connor said. "Go get ready."

"Thanks," Dawn said excusing herself and rushed off. She was ready within moments. "I'll be back by 11:00."

Connor raised an eyebrow. "By 10:00."

"But we were going to grab a bite to eat after the movie," Dawn said. "10:45?"

"Movie's over by 9:00," Connor countered. "Even factoring in bathroom breaks and driving time, you can be home by 10:30."

"Okay," she sighed.

"Got your cellphone?" he asked.

"Yup. I'll turn it on after the movie," she said. "It was nice meeting you, Amanda."

"Likewise," the woman said. "Have fun at the movies."

Dawn went up the stairs and left by the elevator.

"She seemed pretty surprised to find me here," Amanda commented.

Connor smiled somewhat self-consciously. "I haven't really dated much since Dawn came to live with me."

"I think she got the impression we might have been an item."

"Too bad your heart belongs to another MacLeod."

"I like her," Amanda smiled and rose from the table.

"Dawn's pretty likable."

"And you, my dear friend, seem to be enjoying fatherhood again," she said as she propped her elbow on the kitchen island and rested her chin in her palm. "How does it feel the second time around?"

"Great. Different. More hands-on," Connor said trying to describe it. "Rachel went to boarding schools in Europe. I was always nearby, but she didn't really live with me full-time. Dawn and Rachel bonded quickly, and she wouldn't forgive me if I sent Dawn away."

"Speaking of Rachel, how is she?"

"Good," he replied refilling the wineglasses. "She's off on a Mediterranean cruise with some old friends. She's due back in three weeks."

Amanda straightened, walked over to him and placed her hand on his arm. "I can postpone my trip if you'd like."

Connor smiled and brushed her cheek with the back of his fingers. "No. We'll be fine."

"Are you sure?"

"You can't fight my battles for me," he said. "How reliable is your source?"

"Very reliable," Amanda replied and noticed his face cloud over slightly. "Watch your head."


	16. Ever Closer

Chapter 16: Ever Closer

Dawn settled back in the passenger seat of the silver Porsche that Connor expertly drove out of Manhattan. They were going to a dojo in Flushing, Queens where Dawn took martial arts lessons. While she attended class, Connor often worked out and sparred in one of the other rooms.

They were heading up the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway as per usual. Dawn felt the car accelerate which was a bit unusual. A quick peek at the odometer confirmed her suspicion. Connor had a look of intense concentration, and his gloved hands gripped the steering wheel tightly.

They were in the far left lane as they approached the interchange with the Long Island Expressway. At the last moment, he swerved across several lanes and took the exit on the far right causing several drivers to demonstrate their displeasure through horn honking and hand gestures.

"Connor!" she said with confused annoyance as she braced herself.

"Sorry," he said glancing at the rearview mirror, "wasn't paying attention."

-oOo-

The following Saturday Connor left home early to pick up the theatre tickets before he had to open the store. Because parking was a nightmare, he took the subway to Times Square.

After purchasing the tickets, Connor headed back to the subway station. While waiting for the train, he smiled as he spotted a familiar man standing further down the platform. When Duncan had told him about the existence of Watchers, Connor took the news rather philosophically. Though he couldn't say that he liked the idea of someone following him, there was very little he could do aside from threatening the man or having him arrested for stalking. Either way the Watchers would simply assign someone else. So long as he wasn't like the rogue watchers who murdered Darius and he continued to leave Rachel and Dawn alone, Connor would leave him alone. In fact, it was a bit like a live-action "Where's Waldo" book. Connor would even make eye contact once in a while just for fun.

Connor felt the shift in the air then heard the train approach. It shrieked to a stop, and he stepped into one of the cars. As it left the station, he thought about the drive to Queens a few nights earlier. He was sure that car was following them on the expressway. Though he was able to lose it at the interchange, he had been a bit paranoid ever since.

When he got home, Connor had just enough time to make sure that Dawn was awake before he opening the store. Two hours later, Dawn phoned down. "Want to me to bring down some leftovers before I go?" she asked.

"Sure, thanks," he said.

Soon the elevator clanged to life, and she came out with a plateful of ham, scalloped potatoes and corn. "Yum," he said taking the plate from Dawn's hands. "So, what's on the agenda for this afternoon?"

"Meeting up with Maria and Elena at the art fair," she said adjusting her knapsack. "I'll be back by 5:00."

"Be careful," Connor called after her.

"Always," she smiled and left. He watched out the window as she caught the bus.

The afternoon went by quickly. Connor made a few sales and caught up on some paperwork. He was halfway through the newest issue of the "New England Antiques Journal" when he sensed another immortal. His heart pounded in his chest as his eyes darted to the door, and his blood ran cold as Dawn came in.

"The fair was fantastic," she gushed. "I got this really cool hand painted t-shirt."

"That's nice," he said distractedly still sensing the other immortal.

"You're not even listening," she complained.

"Sorry," he said turning his attention to her. "I'm expecting an important client. Why don't you go upstairs and start supper? You can tell me all about the fair later."

"Okay," she sighed heading for the elevator. "Tortellini or penne?"

"Surprise me," he said as he looked out the window again. By now the other immortal was gone, but Connor was still nervous. So much so that he decided to close the shop early and go upstairs.

-oOo-

After a very restless night, Connor was woken by the shrill ringing of the phone. Dawn must have answered it because the ringing mercifully stopped, and he could hear the faint murmur of her voice. Getting out of bed and shrugging on his robe, he padded down the hall and found Dawn lying back on the couch while she talked on the phone.

"So how was Istanbul?" she asked then listened for a few moments and sighed wistfully. "Wow. That's so cool." She paused again. "Everything's pretty much same old same old. School's fine. Connor and I are going to a play tonight. Should be good."

Connor caught her attention by clearing his throat.

"He's up," she said into the receiver then covered the mouthpiece with her hand. "It's Rachel."

He came forwarded, and she said to Rachel, "Looks like he wants to talk to you. Have fun in Athens!"

She passed the phone to him and headed toward the bathroom.

"Hello, Rachel," he said as he watched Dawn leave.

"Hello, how are you?"

"I'm fine."

There was a pause at the other end. "No, you're not. What's wrong?"

Slightly startled though not too surprised by her perception, he stalled. "What do you mean?"

"I've known you for too long so I repeat, what's wrong?"

"We were followed on the way to Queens, and I felt the presence of an immortal when Dawn came from the art fair yesterday," he replied.

"Oh god. Do you think it's the same one Amanda told you about?"

"Perhaps," he said noncommittally.

"When the ship docks in Athens, I'll take the first plane out," she said.

"What about Gail and Margaret?"

"They'll understand."

"No."

"Connor…"

"No," he repeated cutting off her inevitable protest. "You're safer where you are, and I won't have to worry quite as much about you. I can concentrate on Dawn's safety."

There was a moment's silence at the other end. "Fine. Do you have a plan?"

"I have a couple ideas in mind," he replied vaguely.

"And how shall I contact you?"

"Probably best to try our cellphones rather than the home phone just in case we leave town."

"Damnit Connor…"

"Rachel, we'll be fine."

-oOo-

"That was so great," Dawn said glowingly as they joined the rest of the audience members congregating outside the theatre's front entrance. "Thanks for taking me."

"It was my pleasure," Connor smiled.

A fleet of cabs were arriving to take the theatre-goers home, but there was still a wait. Dawn continued to wax enthusiastic about the play when Connor sensed another immortal.

No, he thought in dismay as he gently guided Dawn toward the middle of the crowd. Being surrounded by people was probably safer than trying to hail a cab down the block. Because he was concentrating on shielding Dawn, he wasn't able to catch a glimpse of the other immortal.

Finally, they made their way to the front of the line and got a cab. Once inside, Connor gave the driver the address but told him to go around Central Park first. Dawn shot him a puzzled look, shrugged then stared out the window.

-oOo-

Connor carefully opened the door to Dawn's bedroom. As he watched her sleep, he contemplated how much his life had changed over the past ten years and how much her life was going to change over the next few days.

He closed the door and walked back to the living room for a refill of scotch. He sat down on the couch and began to sharpen his katana. With each stroke, his mind formed a workable plan.


	17. School Policy and Other Obstacles

Chapter 17: School Policy and Other Obstacles

Mrs. Snyder took her role as a school administrator very seriously. She believed in rules and felt that adherence to rules was the key to her success as the headmistress of Addison Academy. Therefore when a parent wished to violate the rules (be they written or unwritten), she almost took it as a personal affront.

"Mr. MacLeod, this is highly irregular," she said disapprovingly.

"I realize that, Mrs. Snyder," he acknowledged, "but my business trip came up rather suddenly. The only other person I trust to stay with Dawn is currently out of the country. Therefore Dawn must come with me."

"Mr. MacLeod, the school term has barely started."

"You have my assurance that Dawn will keep up with her studies. She will have access to the Internet and can e-mail assignments to her teachers if necessary," he replied. "Dawn will attend her morning classes tomorrow. Since our flight leaves in the afternoon, I would be most appreciative if you could arrange for her teachers to have her assignments ready so she can pick them up before we go."

Mrs. Snyder was stunned. Essentially, he was informing her that he was taking Dawn out of school, and there was precious little she could do about it.

"I will speak to Dawn's teachers," she said frostily as a bell rang.

"Thank you for your time," he smiled rising out of the chair.

Mrs. Snyder did the same, planted both hands on her desk and nodded regally as he left the office. She glowered at the closed door and muttered, "Of all the egotistical, self-centered…"

-oOo-

Connor smiled as he left the headmistress' office. He knew he had backed the woman into a corner, but under the circumstances he didn't care. Now to break the news to Dawn, he thought as he waited for her at the front entrance of the school.

Ten minutes later she was heading down the hall with her usual gaggle of friends. When he called out to her, she looked at him with puzzled surprise, said good-bye to her friends and made her way towards him. "What are you doing here? Is something wrong with Rachel?"

"No, no. Rachel's fine," Connor reassured her as they left the school. "Something's come up."

-oOo-

"Seacouver?" Dawn repeated for the fifth time as they entered the antique store.

"Yes, Seacouver," Connor said. "What? Don't you want to see Duncan?"

"Of course I'd love to see Duncan," she said, "but what about school?"

"That's why I was there today," he explained sliding the elevator door closed and hitting a button. "Mrs. Snyder will make arrangements with your teachers, and you can pick up your assignments tomorrow morning."

"Why can't I stay with Tasha or Zoe?" she asked when the elevator stopped.

"Because I could be gone for two weeks, and I don't feel comfortable asking their parents if you could stay with them for that long," Connor replied as they climbed down the stairs to the living quarters. "Our plane leaves at 4:00 tomorrow afternoon. Just pack the usual and don't forget to leave some room for your homework. I want to finish off a few things before we go. Leftovers okay for supper?"

"Sure," she sighed. "Guess I'll go pack."

Dawn went to her room and dragged the small suitcase out of her closet. Connor had instilled the philosophy of 'pack light and buy along the way'. Her friends were always shocked that she could go on a two week holiday with nothing but a carry-on suitcase and a small knapsack.

As she put some clothing and necessities into the suitcase, she thought about the impending trip. It wasn't that she minded missing school and taking homework along. It was missing the extracurricular activities that she had been looking forward to for so long that was annoying.

There was a little extra space in the suitcase so on impulse she tossed in Ramirez, her old teddy bear.

Turning her attention to her knapsack, she grabbed her iPod, two DVDs to watch on the laptop, her journal, fountain pen, camera, and last and definitely least, her homework.


	18. Getting Ready

Chapter 18: Getting Ready

"Seacouver?" Zoe asked puzzled.

"I know," Dawn said as she pulled a few things out of her locker while her friends looked on in confusion.

"But why can't you stay with me?" Zoe asked.

"Or me?" Tasha asked.

"Or us?" the twins added.

"Connor doesn't feel comfortable asking," Dawn shrugged. "Besides, everything's arranged from homework to flight plans."

"But what about the school paper?" Maria asked.

"I know," Dawn grumbled as the group headed toward class. "I'm finally old enough to join the school paper, and I have to jam on the first meeting."

"Why don't you talk to Bethany?" Elena suggested optimistically. "Maybe you could do a story on Seacouver coffee houses? Sort of an east coast/west coast comparison?"

"Maybe," Dawn sighed.

-oOo-

Connor brought his bag into the living room. Moving to one wall, he lifted up the bookcase and opened the doors to his secret room.

He went directly to one of several hidden cabinets. Inside was a small fortune in a variety of currencies. He took out several thousand dollars, resealed the room and distributed the money amongst the carry-on luggage. He wasn't sure if the other immortal would be tracking his credit cards, but he wanted to minimize any opportunity by having cash on hand.

Just in time, he thought as he heard the elevator come to life.

"Get all your assignments?" he asked Dawn as she climbed down the stairs.

"Yup," she said taking out a binder from her book bag and shoving it into the knapsack she was taking on the trip. "I should be able to keep up."

"Good," he nodded. "Now, go change. We'll have to leave for airport soon."


	19. Destination: Seacouver

Chapter 19: Destination: Seacouver

Dawn yawned as she sat in a chair and waited for Connor to rent a car. Despite the nap she had during the flight, she still felt wiped out. It's amazing how tired one got from sitting for six hours.

Connor signed a form and took the key. "Let's go."

They left the airport and walked to the rental cars' parking lot. They wandered around a bit before finding the vehicle. When they did, Dawn blinked in surprise. "Plan on doing some off-roading?"

"It's just in case I find some nice pieces at the sales," he said and unlocked the doors of the black Cadillac Escalade SUV.

"Right," she said climbing into the passenger seat.

She sat back and watched the Pacific Northwest scenery go by as Connor drove downtown. The vibe in Seacouver was so different from New York. It's much more laid back here, Dawn thought admiring the beautiful mountains that bordered the north end of the city. Her brow furrowed as she caught a glimpse of the LRT (Light Rail Transit) that was the Seacouver equivalent of New York's subway. It was a form of transportation she was hoping to avoid during her stay. Connor drove up the driveway of a large hotel comprised of two buildings. "We're staying here again?" she asked.

"Yes," he replied driving past the main entrance and stopping at a more sedate one, "but we'll be staying in the new addition."

They got out of the SUV and grabbed what luggage they had. Connor gave his name to the doorman while the parking attendant took care of the vehicle.

"Welcome to the St. Charles, Mr. MacLeod," the man said with a small bow and opened the door.

Dawn smiled as she followed Connor into the building. The contrast between Connor's perpetually rumpled appearance and the understated yet elegant lobby made her giggle softly. When he shot her a puzzled look, she shook her head, said, "Nothing," and then sat down in one of the leather winged-back chairs while he checked in.

"Good evening, Mr. MacLeod," the desk manager said regally.

"Is everything ready?" he asked.

"As you requested, you will be staying in room 2006, a two bedroom suite in the northwest corner," the man said bringing up the reservation on the computer, "and you'll be with us for a week?"

"Yes," Connor confirmed.

"Very good, sir," he said handing him two cardkeys. "We hope you have a pleasant stay."

Connor smiled distractedly then motioned for Dawn to follow him. Once they got in the elevator, he inserted one of the cardkeys into the security slot and pushed the button for the 20th floor.

"I thought we were staying for two weeks," she said puzzled.

"I was going to see if we could take a little trip to Duncan's cabin," Connor explained as the elevator came to a stop, and they stepped into the hall.

"Really?" she asked hopefully.

"Really," he replied and opened the door to their rooms.

"Wow," Dawn said as she explored the suite. It resembled an apartment with two bedrooms, a kitchenette, a living room/dining area and a balcony.

"Can I have this bedroom?" she asked pointing to the one that had a view of the Robson Bay and Hyde Cliff Park.

"Sure," he said dropping off his bag in the second bedroom which had a view of the mountains.

"So what now?" she asked as she plunked down on the couch then yawned.

"Now you go to bed," Connor replied leaning against a wall.

"Aww," she moaned then yawned again.

"It's past midnight back home, and you've had a long day," he pointed out.

"But I thought Duncan was going to come over," she said rubbing an eye.

"You can see him tomorrow."

Dawn pouted for a moment then got up off the couch. "Good night."

"Good night," he said and kissed her on the forehead.

He watched her go to bed then poured himself a scotch from the mini-bar. He picked up the phone and dialed a number. "We're here" was all he said when the person at the other end answered.

After hanging up the phone, he walked out onto the balcony and watched the cityscape. Fifteen minutes later the phone rang.

"I'm sorry to disturb you, sir, but a Mr. Duncan MacLeod is here to see you," the desk manager said. "He says you are expecting him."

"I'll be right down to get him," Connor said.


	20. Dojo Blues

Chapter 20: Dojo Blues

Bored now, Dawn sulked as she threw a dart at the dart board in Duncan's office. She had spent the past three days being shuttled back and forth between the hotel and the dojo. While Connor and Duncan went antiquing, she got left behind to do homework.

Pushing away from the desk, she got up and walked to the office door. Since it was a mid-week morning, the dojo was practically deserted. The only occupant was Richie who was working out on the heavy bag. He stopped when he noticed her watching. "Taking a break?"

"Uh-huh," she said leaning against the door jam.

"How's it going?"

"I do any more, and I'll be ahead of my classmates," she said with a shrug. "So what's up for lunch?"

"I don't know. Any cravings?"

"How about someplace that's else?"

Richie blinked in confusion. "Huh?"

"Don't get me wrong. The fish and chips were great, the pizza was terrific and the souvlaki was fantastic, but they were all delivered. It'd be nice to go someplace else," she explained. "You know, away from the dojo."

"Going a little stir crazy?" he asked.

"It's not fair!" she exclaimed then calmed down. "It's not fair. When I'm not in the hotel suite, I'm here at the dojo. When I'm not here at the dojo, I'm in the hotel suite. When I'm not at either place, I'm being shuttled between the two."

"Feeling a bit frustrated?"

Dawn gave him a quirky smile. "Yeah."

"Time for phys. ed.," Richie declared and removed his bag gloves.

This time it was Dawn's turn to blink in confusion. "Huh?"

He went into the office and pulled something out of a drawer. "Time for phys. ed."

He went back to the heavy back and motioned for her to follow. "Maybe you'd feel better if you hit something."

"And those?" she asked nodding to the items Richie was holding.

"Protection. Connor'll kill me if you get hurt," he explained causing her to laugh. "No, seriously, he would. These are a sample of training gloves for women that Duncan received. They should do the trick."

He got her set up and showed her how to punch and jab. Then he held the heavy bag while she hit it. "Keep your elbows in and don't lean into the punches. Good."

Concentrating on his advice, she sunk into a rhythm. She hit the bag for several more minutes letting all the frustration out. Then impulsively she did a high turning kick that caught Richie on the upper arm.

"Oh, I'm so sorry," Dawn apologized a bit startled by what she had done.

"It's okay," he said rubbing his arm. "Feel any better?"

"A bit," she said with a small smile and a shrug.

He looked at her for a moment. "You like Japanese food?"

"Love it," she replied.

"Take your stuff up to the loft and wait for me there," he said. "I'll have a quick shower, and we'll go out for some Japanese food. It's just down the block, but at least it's some place that's else."

"Really?" she asked hopefully.

"Really," he confirmed.


	21. Someplace That's Else

Chapter 21: Someplace That's Else

"I'll have the salmon teriyaki," Richie said handing the menu to the waitress.

Dawn glanced over at him with mischievous eyes. "I'll start with some agedashi dofu, appetizer maki sushi and assorted tempura."

"Anything to drink?" the waitress asked.

"A pepsi," Richie said.

"Me, too, please," Dawn said.

"Could you also bring some cutlery?" he asked.

"Sure," the waitress smiled then left.

"Not into chopsticks?" Dawn asked.

"Food's usually cold by the time I get the hang of it," he admitted.

"This is a nice place," she said looking around the small but pleasant restaurant. Watercolours of Japanese scenery hung on the walls, and rice paper lanterns hung from the ceiling. "Come here often?"

"Once in a while when Duncan has a craving for saki," he said. "So how do you like Seacouver so far?"

"It's really nice judging from what I've seen on the drive between the dojo and the hotel and the view from the suite," she replied then sipped from the mug of complimentary green tea. "It's so different from New York. Because of the stupid time difference, I've been awake at 4:30 every morning since we arrived. Back home there's always some kind of street noise like cabs and trash collectors, but here it's so quiet. The streets are practically deserted. It's kinda freaky."

"How's the hotel?"

"It's great. My bedroom has a view of Hyde Cliff Park and Robson Bay. Security's pretty tight. You have to use your cardkey to get the elevator to move, and anytime anyone comes to visit, you have to go down to the lobby to verify that they are expected."

"Wow," Richie said as the waitress delivered their drinks then left. "So how's school?"

"It's okay, I guess."

""What are you taking?"

"English, algebra, science, history and Mandarin."

Richie was sure he misheard. "Mandarin?"

"Uh-huh," she said. "We have to take a foreign language. We have a choice between French, Spanish and Mandarin. As Connor pointed out, over a billion people speak Mandarin so it wouldn't be a bad idea to get some formal education in it."

"There's a Peking Palace down the street," Richie said. "If we ever go there for lunch, you can order for us."

Dawn giggled. The waitress came by with a bowl filled with small fried cubes in a sauce garnished with snips of green onion.

"Yum," Dawn said and picked up her chopsticks. "Try some."

"What is it?"

"Just try it."

Richie stabbed a cube with his fork and popped it into his mouth. "Hmmm. This is pretty good. What is it?"

"Deep fried tofu."


	22. Venting Sessions

Chapter 22: Venting Sessions

"So what do you think of green tea ice cream?" Dawn asked.

"Not bad," Richie said as he finished the last of his dessert. "It's pretty good once you get pass expecting it to taste like mint."

They left the restaurant and strolled back to the dojo. Halfway there, Dawn spotted a small grocery store and asked if they could stop in for a moment.

"Sure," Richie said and followed her to one of the coolers. When she pulled a tube out, he gave her a puzzled look. "You want to bake cookies?"

"Not exactly."

-oOo-

Ten minutes later they were sitting on bar stools back at Duncan's loft. On the counter between them were two glasses of milk and the tube of chocolate chip cookie dough; its plastic covering neatly dissected and pulled back.

"I just don't get it," Dawn said as she pinched off a piece of dough.

"Get what?" Richie asked following her lead.

"Connor's attitude," she explained after drinking some milk. "He always said that in order to get the most out of a trip you shouldn't stay cooped up in your hotel room, but that's exactly what we're doing. The hotel has three 5-star restaurants, and all we've done over the last three days is order room service."

"Most people would enjoy a little room service," he pointed out.

Dawn shrugged. "I'm not like most people."

"I'm beginning to realize that," he acknowledged with a small smile.

"And there's an incredible pool, but Connor won't even let me go swimming," she continued. "At this point, I'd do laundry if it meant getting out of the hotel room and seeing something aside from the dojo."

Richie pulled off another piece of cookie dough. "Maybe he's just worried about your safety."

Dawn shot him a look. "Right, because Seacouver is so much more dangerous than New York."

He raised his hands. "Just a theory."

"Sorry," she apologized and took some more dough. "It just doesn't make any sense. I've been going to estate sales and auctions since I was nine, but all of a sudden I'm not allowed to go to these ones?"

"Connor probably thought you'd be bored," Richie said after a gulp of milk.

"That hasn't stopped him before," Dawn commented. "Besides, I like going to those sales. I always try to imagine what the lives of the previous owners were like based on the histories of the different pieces. I wish Rachel were here. I bet she could figure out what's going on."

She had another piece of cookie dough and was so wrapped up in her own thoughts that she didn't notice Richie suddenly tense. The elevator came to life.

"I guess they're back," he said.

"Looks like," she said and finished off her milk.

The elevator stopped, and the two MacLeods stepped off.

"Is that raw cookie dough?" Duncan asked in slight confusion.

"It's a teenage girl thing," Connor said.

"How was the sale?" Richie asked.

"It was good," Duncan said.

"Get any interesting pieces?" Dawn asked.

"I picked up an Italian marble table and a 19th century Chinese medicine cabinet," Connor replied. "They're being shipped home. Ready to go?"

"I'll take care of the dishes," Richie said.

"Thanks," she smiled sliding off the stool. "I'll just get my stuff."

When she rejoined the men, Duncan helped her on with her jacket and gave her shoulders a gentle squeeze. "See you tomorrow."

"Bye," she said shrugging her knapsack onto her back. "Bye, Richie."

"Bye, Dawnie," he said causing her to smile as she got into the elevator with her guardian and left for the hotel.

"That was a cozy little scene Connor and I just walked in on," Duncan commented as he went to the refrigerator for a beer.

"She just needed to vent a little," Richie explained.

"Did I hear her mention Rachel?"

"Yeah, Dawn was wishing she were here."

"Well, that wish may be granted," Duncan said as he eyed the raw cookie dough. "Rachel's flying in tomorrow night. Actually, I'm surprised that Connor convinced her to stay away for this long."

"So how did it really go?" Richie asked.

"Considering he's basically been out of the Game for ten years, pretty good. Apparently he works out once a week while Dawn's at her martial arts class."

"But it's not the same."

Duncan took a sip of beer. "No, it's not. Now I know how he must have felt when he came to warn me about Slan."

"She's suspicious," Richie said. When his friend didn't say anything, he elaborated. "She knows something's up, and she's mad because she's not being told what's wrong."

Duncan glared at the younger immortal. "You think I don't know that? You think he doesn't know that?"

Richie put his hands up defensively. "All I'm saying is that he should tell her the truth before she finds out some other way. For what it's worth, she's mature for her age. I'm sure she can handle it."

"You're being rather insightful," Duncan commented.

"What can I say? We bonded over cookie dough," he said taking another chuck and popping it into his mouth. "It's pretty good."

Duncan looked at the dough skeptically but pinched off a small piece and ate it.

Richie shrugged when his friend gave him a perplexed look. "Tastes better with milk than beer."


	23. Homework before Supper

Chapter 23: Homework before Supper

"So what would you like for supper?" Connor asked as they entered their hotel suite.

"To go out," Dawn replied hanging up her jacket.

"Most people would enjoy room service," he said.

"Like I told Richie, I'm not like most people," she shrugged.

"No, you're not," he agreed softly. "Tell you what. I'll call Duncan, and the three of us will go sightseeing tomorrow."

"Really?" she asked hopefully. "But what about the estate sales?"

"I already have some nice pieces," he replied. "Missing one day won't matter."

"Whose estate sales are these again?" she asked. "I forgot."

"Uh, Robert Dunsmuir. He made his fortune off of lumber, and John Granville who made his money from mining," Connor said as he perused the room service menu. "How does cedar plank salmon with wasabi sauce sound?"

"Okay. Could we have some tiramisu, too?"

"Sure," he said picking up the phone to place the order.

"I'm just gonna do some homework until the food gets here," she said heading toward her room.

-oOo-

She heard Connor answer a knock on the suite's door. A few moments later he called out, "Dawn, supper."

"Be right there," she replied and started to shut down the laptop.

She frowned as she mulled over what she had found or, more importantly, what she didn't find. While she was growing up, Connor always answered any questions she had regarding his profession. As a result, she knew more than the average person did about the antiques industry. After a half hour of searching several comprehensive websites, she found no information regarding estate sales for Robert Dunsmuir and John Granville. This was highly unusual and merely added to her suspicions.

What are you hiding? she asked silently as she joined Connor for supper.


	24. Ambushed

Chapter 24: Ambushed

"You should have told me you needed some ink," Connor said as he parked the SUV. "I could have bought some yesterday."

"You got the wrong one last time," Dawn said getting out of the vehicle. "I wanted aquamarine, and you got turquoise."

Only a teenage girl would notice the difference, he thought as he followed her into "Pen and Ink", a stationary store on a quiet street about ten blocks from the dojo. They were on their way to pick up Duncan to go sightseeing.

Autumn was definitely approaching, and the air was crisp. He was glad since it made wearing his trench coat more tolerable. As for Dawn, she wore the New York Yankees jacket and the baseball cap she got during that Father's Day game three years ago.

While she paid for her purchase, Connor took out his cellphone to call Duncan then groaned when 'low battery' began to flash.

"What's wrong?" Dawn asked as they headed out the door.

"Forget to charge my cellphone last night," he explained.

She simply shook her head and pulled her cellphone out from her bag. "Here. Use mine."

He smiled and took the cellphone. He was about to dial when two men came out of an alley to block their path.

"Sir, I need you to come with us," one of the men said.

Connor instinctively moved in front of Dawn. "Who are you?"

"I think you're going to want to cooperate," the man said as he and his partner pulled out guns.

The small group moved into the alley. Connor kept himself firmly between Dawn and the men. Had she not been there he might have made a move against them, but her safety was paramount. He would not take that risk. At least, not yet.

"Look, we don't want any trouble," Connor said. "My wallet's in my pocket."

"We don't want your wallet," the second man said.

Connor's fear deepened as the first man motioned to a dark green car which came towards them. When the men were distracted as the vehicle entered the mouth of the alley, Connor saw his chance. He lashed out with his fist knocking the gun out of the first man's hand, kneed him in the stomach then pushed him into the second man. Connor slammed the second man's wrist against the brick wall causing him to drop his gun. He noticed Dawn standing there in shock. "Get out of here! Go to the dojo!"

His command snapped her out of her trance. She slowly moved backwards as the driver got out of the car. Her eyes widen as the man pulled out a gun.

"Behind you!" she shouted.

"Dawn, run!" Connor yelled.

At that moment, the first two men surged up and threw Connor off. As he fell against the opposite wall, the driver took aim and fired.


	25. Chasing Dawnie

Chapter 25: Chasing Dawnie

Dawn watched in horror as the driver shot Connor. Then she turned and ran.

"Get her!" one of the men shouted causing her to run faster.

The only thought she had was to get to the dojo. She repeated it like a mantra in her mind as she raced down the street. For the first time since arriving in Seacouver, she was grateful for the constant trips to the dojo. As a result, she knew the quickest way there.

She was within a block of her destination when a menacingly familiar dark green car rounded the corner and skidded to a stop between her and the dojo. Dawn slowed down and began to backpedal when two arms grabbed her from behind.

-oOo-

Duncan was in the loft above the dojo getting ready. He had a couple of ideas as to what Dawn might like to see such was the classical garden in Chinatown, Brockton Public Market and Hastings Park at the base of Gilmore Mountain. Methos had been at Joe's the night before having recently returned from a trip and would be joining them for supper at the Bayview, a revolving restaurant Dawn had selected.

Duncan was shrugging on his coat when he heard the squealing of tires outside followed a few moments later by a scream. Frowning, he went to the window and saw a man grabbing Dawn.

He was out of the door like a shot.

-oOo-

Dawn reacted instinctively the instant her assailant lifted her off her feet. She gave him a backwards headbutt hitting him hard in the nose then kicked him on the inside of the knee. When he released her, she spun and kicked him in the groin then ran down the street losing her baseball cap along the way.

She could hear the car following her and knew she wasn't out of the woods yet. An idea began to form involving something she swore she wouldn't do, but desperate times call for desperate measures so she ran up the LRT station's escalator.

The Seacouver Transit Authority was rather trusting when it came to the fares for its elevated train system. There were no human ticket vendors. One simply purchased a ticket from an automated vending machine. Traveling on the LRT without a ticket would result in a sizeable fine if caught during one of the periodic spot checks. Still, it was possible for one to ride without paying which was exactly what Dawn decided to do.

The warning chimes rang as she reached the platform. The train would be leaving any moment. Not giving herself the chance to change her mind, she leapt onto the last car just as the doors started to close.


	26. Breakdown

Chapter 26: Breakdown

Dawn went to the back of the car and looked out the rear window as the train pulled out of the station. Her pursuers got to the empty platform and realized she was on the train. They left presumably to get their car and chase the LRT like something out of a movie.

Dawn took a deep breath. Then alarm crept in. She had been so focused on eluding the men chasing her that she forgot where she was, but the gentle swaying of the train reminded her.

It started to slow down, and the automatic voice announced the next stop. Dawn was paralyzed with both the fear of getting off and running into those men again and the fear of staying on the LRT. Eventually, the decision was taken out of her hands as the doors slid closed.

A young mother with a laughing little girl sat down on one of the seats. The woman smiled at the child. "Buffy, honey, sit down."

Dawn closed her eyes only to have memories from the worst night of her life flash in her mind. "Dawn, honey, come sit down," her mother had said when she and Toby began to explore the passenger car.

Dawn opened her eyes and saw the little girl hold up a stuffed pig and announce, "Mr. Gordo likes the train, Mommy."

Dawn closed her eyes again and remembered playing peek-a-boo with Connor and him smiling at her saying, "I like trains, too."

Heart pounding in her chest, she opened her eyes and saw mother, daughter and pig settle back to watch the scenery streak by as rain began to pelt the windows.

The train stopped again. A man with a beige trench coat and carrying a briefcase sat down and pulled out a magazine. This time when she closed her eyes she heard her mother's voice say "I think Mr. MacLeod would like to read his newspaper. Why don't you and Toby come lie down?"

Dawn opened her eyes with a gasp. "Have to get off. Have to get off," she repeated softly.

The train started to go underground as it got closer to the downtown core. The tunnel amplified the incessant squeal of the wheels on the track. The sound grated on Dawn's nerves like fingernails on a chalkboard. She looked at the route map posted near the ceiling and noticed that the next stop was at the Lexington Center. Connor always told her that if she was ever worried about her safety, she should go to a public place with lots of people. It didn't get much more public than the biggest mall in Seacouver.


	27. One Step Behind

Chapter 27: One Step Behind

By the time Duncan reached the street, Dawn had escaped and was running away. Her assailant was on the ground, and if her safety hadn't been more important, Duncan would have finished what she had started.

He ran after the car that was chasing Dawn, but they had a headstart. The men were already leaving the LRT station when he got there. He didn't see Dawn with them so he presumed that she had successfully evaded them. Duncan went up to the empty platform and realized she must have gotten on the train.

Given the direction in which the train went, he knew it would be difficult to track it by car especially once it entered the downtown core. The better bet would be to catch the next train and try to deduce where she might get off. While he waited, he tried phoning both her cellphone and Connor's but got no answer.

After what seemed like an eternity, the train finally came, and Duncan got on. Since Dawn was alone and being chased, he assumed that something must have happened to Connor. As hard as it was, he put that aside and concentrated on finding Dawn.

Considering what he knew of her fear of trains, he figured that she would stay on the LRT for a maximum of four stops. She would probably be too scared to get off at the first stop which left three choices. After examining the route map, Duncan decided that she would most likely get off at the Lexington Center.

-oOo-

Connor felt the rain fall on his face as he slowly came back to life. Headshots always seemed to take a while to heal. He groaned as he sat up and looked down the alley. No one was there. He prayed that Dawn got to the dojo. He reached for his phone then he remembered his battery was dead, and Dawn's cellphone was now in pieces having fallen to the asphalt.

He went to the SUV and drove to the dojo. As he approached, he noticed one of his attackers getting up from the ground and dusting himself off with what looked like Dawn's Yankees cap.

Swerving to a stop, he leapt out of the SUV, but the other man once again pulled out his gun forcing Connor to duck for cover. The next thing he knew there was more gunfire as the dark green car screeched to a halt. The man quickly got into the car which then sped away. Any thoughts of following were dashed when Connor realized one of his tires was now flat courtesy of a bullet.

-oOo-

After getting off at the Lexington stop, Dawn didn't leave the station right away. Feeling the desperate need to be alone, she headed for the station's women's restroom. Such places were seldom used unless absolutely necessary so chances were she'd have her privacy. Once she got to the restroom and assured herself that she was alone, she leaned against the sink and broke down.

-oOo-

The Lexington Center was, in fact, two malls on either side of the LRT track that had merged into one giant shopping complex. One could buy anything here from coats to cameras, pants to poodles and kitchenware to software. All Duncan had to do was find one teenage girl.

He got off the train the moment the doors slid open. After a quick glance up and down the platform, he went into the mall. Near the entry was a map showing each level of the complex. Theorizing Dawn would go to the most crowded area of the mall, Duncan decided to start at the food court and work his way outward.

-oOo-

Eventually the crying stopped. Splashing some cold water on her face, she tried to pull herself together. She looked at her reflection in the mirror and told herself to calm down and think. She had to call for help and began to reach for her cellphone then groaned as she realized that it was back in the alley. What was worse was that she didn't know Duncan's personal number having programmed it into her cellphone so that she wouldn't have to remember it. The only other person who might be able to help was Richie, but she didn't know his number either.

She could only think of two possibilities. One was to call the dojo's number and hope that Duncan was in his office. Two was to call Joe's, a blues bar which Richie had mentioned at lunch. It was a popular hangout for both him and Duncan.

Dawn cautiously opened the restroom door, quickly left the station and went into the mall. Rather than heading for the very public food court, she went to the Macy's department store where it would be a bit quieter. Who would think to find her there? Sure enough, the pay phones were by the second floor restrooms as she predicted. She found both numbers in the phone book. After first trying the dojo and receiving no answer, she dialed the number for Joe's and prayed that someone there could help her.

Author's Note: Apologies for the cliffhanger, but unless something happens to me or my computer, I will update tomorrow.


	28. Everyone Comes to Joe's

Chapter 28: Everyone Comes to Joe's

Whenever he was in Seacouver, he seemed to spend most of the time at Joe's. There was something about the place that was soothing, and after a long trip through South America, there was nothing he wanted more than an ice-cold beer, a little blues music and some good company.

"Hi, guys," Methos said as he entered the bar to find Richie finishing off a hamburger while Joe sliced some lemons. "So no babysitting today?"

"Nah," Richie replied. "Duncan and Connor are taking Dawn sightseeing."

"Anywhere specific?" Methos asked as he sat on a bar stool beside the younger immortal.

"I think they were going to places that are quintessentially Seacouver like Brockton Public Market and Hastings Park," Riche said. "I understand you'll be joining us for supper at the Bayview."

"Yes, I finally get to meet the infamous Dawn," Methos said as Joe slid him a beer.

"She's a great kid. Bet she's thrilled at not having to spend yet another day at the dojo," Richie commented.

"Starting to go a little stir crazy?" Joe asked while he began slicing some limes.

"Oh yeah, but it's for her own protection," Richie said after a swig of beer. "Remember when Donna thought I was Jeremy's father?"

"How can I forget?" Joe said. "It was right around the time I was getting this place up and running."

"For which we are grateful," Methos said raising his bottle in thanks.

"When Kern came after Donna and Jeremy to get at me and Duncan, I was terrified. I don't think I could ever go through that again." Richie said.

"So you're wondering why Connor would take the same chance by taking Dawn in," Methos deduced.

"Yeah," he admitted.

"Well, the circumstances were a little different. Jeremy had his mother who had a support system of sorts. You knew she would have trouble dealing with the reality of your world so her leaving was the right decision for both of you," Joe pointed out not unkindly. "When that train derailed, Dawn lost her entire world and was completely alone. Given the various options, going to live with Connor was probably the best choice under those circumstances. As for Connor, he's had some experience in raising a traumatized child."

"Hey speaking of Rachel, did you guys know she's flying into town tonight from Athens?" Richie asked.

"Really?" Methos asked contemplatively.

"Yeah," Richie said catching a certain gleam in his friend's eyes. "You know her?"

A smile flickered across Methos' face. "Let's just say we were friends once."

"Really," Richie said intrigued.

"Yes, really, and don't bother asking because a gentleman never kisses and tells."

"So there was kissing involved," Richie said.

The barkeep laughed at the exchange as the phone rang. He put down the knife and picked up the receiver. "Joe's."

There was a moment of silence then a young female voice came on. "Um, is-is Duncan MacLeod there?"

"No, he isn't."

"Oh, um, is Richie Ryan there?"

"Yeah, hold on a sec," Joe replied then motioned to the man in question. "Phone for you."

Richie looked a little puzzled as he raised the receiver to he ear. "Hello?"

"Richie?" a fearful voice asked.

"Dawn? What's wrong?"

"They shot him!"

"What?! Take a deep breath and tell me everything."

Joe and Methos watched as Richie's expression got grimmer and grimmer as he listened to Dawn's explanation.

"Okay, here's what I want you to do," he told her. "There's a library in the mall. It's a little hard to find so ask for directions if you have trouble. I'll meet you there in fifteen minutes."

He hung up the phone and turned to his friends. "Some guys attacked Dawn and Connor while they were shopping. Conner was shot, and Dawn ran to the dojo, but they followed her. She lost them when she got on the LRT. She's at the Lexington Center."

"Why tell her to go to the library?" Joe asked.

"It's hard to find, who would think to look for her there and you can loiter without getting harassed," Richie replied as he grabbed his jacket.

"So you're going to pick her up on your motorcycle?" Joe asked then dug his keys out of his pocket. "Here, take my car."

"Thanks, Joe," Richie said.

"Where are you going to take her?" Methos asked.

"I guess back to my place," Richie said.

"Sure it's secure enough?" Methos asked.

"You could bring her here," Joe suggested.

"Because every blues bar needs a 14 year-old girl in the backroom," Methos said as he dug a key out of his pocket, grabbed a pen and wrote something down on a cocktail napkin. "Take her to my place. Here's the address, the key and the codes for the gate and the security system. Just key in the numbers and press 'Access'. I'll see if I can find Connor and Duncan."

"Keep me posted," Joe said as both men left.


	29. Refuge

Chapter 29: Refuge

After examining the damage done to the SUV, Connor went into the dojo. He didn't sense his kinsman so he headed to the office, picked up the phone and dialed Duncan's cell number.

"Hello?" Duncan asked distractedly.

"Where are you?" Connor demanded.

Duncan ignored the question. "Where the hell are you? What's going on?"

"Dawn and I were attacked when we left "Pen and Ink". I told her to go to the dojo then I got shot."

"Your attackers followed her. I was getting ready when I heard some tires squeal and a scream. By the time I got to the street, they had chased her to the LRT station. She wasn't with them when they drove off so I think she got on the train."

"Oh god," Connor said closing his eyes. "Where are you?"

"I'm at the Lexington Center. It's four stops from where she got on, and I figured she'd go somewhere that has lots of people," Duncan replied.

"She would," Connor agreed. "Keep searching the mall. I'll change the tire on the SUV and meet you there."

"What happened to the SUV?"

"The men doubled back to the dojo, picked up the one who got left behind, took some more shots at me and hit the tire."

Duncan let out a breath. "Just hurry."

-oOo-

Not surprisingly, changing a tire on a SUV by oneself in the rain was rather difficult, and it took a while before Connor had the vehicle road-worthy. He went back inside the dojo and phoned Duncan.

"Have you found her?" he asked.

"Not yet," Duncan admitted. "She wasn't at the food court so I'm checking some of the nearby stores."

"Keep searching, I'll be there as – "

Connor stopped in mid-sentence as he felt the presence of another immortal.

"What is it?" Duncan demanded.

"I've got company."

-oOo-

Richie did not have an easy childhood. Orphaned when he was a toddler, he spent a lot of time being bounced from one foster family to another. Still, it hadn't been all bad. One family in particular had been quite nice. His foster sister, Maria, was currently modeling in Milan. They had both spent a fair amount of time at the Lexington Branch Library where their foster mother worked. Unfortunately, he did not have time to reminisce. He was on a mission.

Richie entered the library and, after a quick scan, went to the study carrels thinking they'd be a good place for both privacy and hiding. Sure enough, he found her in the third carrel. Gone was the confident, young woman he had come to know over the past three days. In her place was a frightened girl who looked like she'd completely fall apart at any moment.

"Richie…" Dawn began.

"Come on," he said holding out his hand.

She took it like the lifeline it was, and he quickly led her out of the library. They left the mall and headed to the parkade. He unlocked the passenger door of the car and was about to go to the driver's side when she stopped him.

"Richie…"

He enveloped her in a much needed hug. "Dawn, it's going to be okay, but we gotta go, alright?"

She sniffed, nodded and got into the car. "So what now?" she asked once he sat down in the driver's seat.

"Now I take you some place safe, but first I have to make a phone call."

-oOo-

Methos parked behind a black SUV then got out of the car. As he approached the building, he felt a familiar buzz. He entered the dojo and found one of the MacLeods he was looking for on the phone in the office. "There you are."

"Methos," Connor said exhaling deeply. "Look I don't have time to chat. I have to –"

"Find Dawn?" Methos completed.

The Scotsman's eyes narrowed. "What do you know?"

He ignored the question. "Who's on the phone? Duncan?" When Connor nodded, Methos reached over and put the other MacLeod on speaker phone. "Dawn phoned Joe's and told Richie what happened. He's going to pick her up from the Lexington Branch Library."

"The library," Duncan repeated. "Why didn't I think of that? I'll go there right now."

"Hold on," Methos said as his cellphone rang. He answered it. "Yes?"

"I've got her," Richie said. "I'm heading to your place now."

"Good. We'll meet you there," Methos replied then hung up. "Don't bother going to the library," he told Duncan. "She's with Richie and going to my place. Just come back here and pack a bag."

"Why?" both MacLeods asked.

"Because you need to regroup. Since they'll probably stake out the dojo and may stake out the hotel, you can stay at my place."

"Not to be ungrateful, but why your place?" Connor asked.

"Because it's secure, self-contained and used to be a convent," Methos replied.


	30. Sanctuary

Chapter 30: Sanctuary

"This is the place?" Dawn asked disbelievingly.

"Yeah," Richie said unconvincingly as he opened the gate.

"It has a bridge to the front door and a turret made of glass," she pointed out.

The land consisted of several terraces starting from the main road and leading down to a narrow strip of beach on Robson Bay. Because the three-story, stone and glass structure was built on a lower tier than the driveway, there was a bridge linking the higher tier to a door on the top floor.

They got out of the car and crossed the bridge. Richie held his breath as he unlocked the door and quickly disengaged the security system. When the alarm didn't go off, he exhaled and motioned for her to come in.

Dawn had never seen a house quite like this. The top floor consisted of two bedrooms, a parlor, a bathroom and a balcony. The second level had three more bedrooms, another balcony and another bathroom. The ground level had a vaulted anteroom, a library/music room, a kitchen, a dining room, a living room, a third bathroom and an indoor swimming pool.

The view from the living room was equally spectacular. Stone steps led to a small formal garden on a lower terrace. Two gravel paths divided it into quarters where plants grew neatly in the corners. An iron-wrought table and four chairs sat invitingly where the paths intersected. The garden overlooked another set of stairs that led to the beach that bordered the bay.

"Why don't we get something to eat," Richie said. "You must be starving."

"Not really," Dawn replied but followed him to the kitchen.

Brown-grey tiles covered the floor of the kitchen. The warm light-colored wood of the cupboards contrasted with the stainless steel double-door refrigerator, oven and microwave. There was an L-shaped counter with three barstools on one side. An island in the center of the kitchen provided additional workspace.

Richie opened a few cupboards but didn't find anything that appealed. He tried the freezer, pulled out a possibility then made a face.

"Why would anyone put spinach and feta on a pizza?" he asked mystified.

"Actually, it's not bad," Dawn said sitting down on one of the barstools.

"One spinach and feta pizza coming up," he shrugged and popped it into the oven then started to look for something to drink.

"I shouldn't have run," she said softly.

"What?" he asked distractedly as he dug behind the small wall of beer in the fridge to uncover two cans of coke.

"I shouldn't have run. Maybe if I had stayed, I could have-"

Richie plunked the cans firmly on the counter in front of her. "No. Don't even go there."

"But-"

"Connor wanted you safe. You did the right thing. Look, I know it's hard to believe, but it's going to be okay."

Dawn's eyes flashed in anger. "You keep saying that, but how do you know?"

Richie sighed in frustration. He wanted to tell her the truth in order to reassure her but knew it wasn't his place. "I can't explain. You're just going to have to trust me."

Author's Note: The description of the house's exterior is based on a realty ad of a house in the Greater Vancouver area (okay, the turret and indoor pool is me), and yes, there really is a bridge.


	31. Reunion

Chapter 31: Reunion

It was late afternoon before Methos and the MacLeods got to the house. After packing a bag, Duncan met up with the others at the hotel. Reassuring the desk manager that the hasty check-out was not due to poor service took almost as much time as gathering Connor and Dawn's things.

Eventually they hit the road. Methos led the way followed by Connor. Paranoia being a virtue, Duncan trailed behind several car-lengths in case someone suspicious started to follow the other two. Downtown skyscrapers gave way to houses and apartment buildings.

Methos lived toward the outer edges of the city's limits in an area that was still relatively undeveloped. Only those with a significant amount of disposable income could afford to build homes here. There was still a lot of wilderness on either side of Methos' house.

Methos opened the gate, and they parked their vehicles in the now-crowded driveway. Grabbing the bags, the men crossed the bridge to the house.

"Quaint place," Duncan smirked.

"I like my space," Methos shrugged. "Be happy that I do."

As he opened the door, they felt the presence of another immortal.

-oOo-

After they finished off the pizza, Richie told Dawn to go to the living room while he took care of the dishes. She sat down on a corner of the couch and tucked her feet beneath her. The adrenalin she had been running on was ebbing away. Her eyes slowly closed as the rhythm of the rain hitting the windows lulled her to sleep.

When Richie came into the living room, she was already dozing. He saw her shiver slightly. Grabbing a small fleecy blanket from the back of an armchair, he unfurled it and laid it over top of her.

He stepped away but stopped when she spoke. "Don't go."

"I won't," he reassured her and sat in the armchair. As he watched her drift back to sleep, he hoped that when the time came she would be able to handle the truth.

About a half hour later, he felt the presence of another immortal. Dawn woke as he stood up.

"What is it?" she asked groggily.

"Thought I heard something," he explained as he stepped into the anteroom. "Stay here."

Richie walked to the spiral staircase that linked all the levels and looked up. He breathed a sigh of relief when he heard Methos call out. "We're here."

Dawn joined Richie just as the men were coming down the stairs. She stood in shock for a moment when Connor reached the floor then flung herself into his arms. The other men exchanged looks of foreboding as Connor hugged Dawn tightly.

Eventually she pulled out of the embrace and looked into his face. Her expression turned to one of confusion. "But they shot you."

"Why don't you use the library?" Methos suggested. "It's right through there. I'll get the rooms ready."

Richie watched as Connor and Duncan escorted Dawn to the library then helped Methos with the bags. They climbed to the second level while Methos muttered to himself. "The most secure room is the second floor east turret so we'll put Dawn there. The master bedroom is next door so Rachel will stay there. Connor won't want to be far so he gets the last bedroom on this floor which leaves the third floor bedrooms to Duncan and me."

"What about me?" Richie asked as they started delivering the bags to the assigned rooms.

"Sure you want to stay?" Methos asked.

"What do you think?" Richie replied.

The corners of Methos' mouth turned up. "If you don't mind sleeping on the couch in the living room, we'll have most of the access points covered."

"I've slept in worse places," Richie said. "Listen, I'm gonna take the car back to Joe, pick up my bike and grab some clothes. Shouldn't be more than two hours."

Methos checked his watch. "I'm picking up Rachel from the airport. Her flight's due in an hour."

"You think it's okay to leave them alone?" Richie asked motioning downstairs.

"It's probably best to give them some space," Methos said.

"So how do you think it's going?" Richie asked.

The older immortal merely shrugged.


	32. Revelations

Author's Note: Here is it. I hope it doesn't disappoint.

Chapter 32: Revelations

The moment he had been dreading since this whole mess started had finally come. The library was a well-appointed room with a desk by a window. Two leather chairs and a chess table sat cozily in front of a fireplace. A baby grand piano was in a corner. Interspersed along the walls were several bookcases and a few paintings. Under other circumstances, it would have been interesting to explore the room, but Connor had a far more pressing task to do.

"Dawn, why don't you sit down," he suggested motioning to one of the chairs.

"I don't want to sit down. I want to know what's going on," she said as she walked to the chairs but remained standing.

Duncan stood silently to one side of the room. He was there for moral support. It was Connor's responsibility to provide the explanations.

The older immortal stood by the desk. "I have something to tell you. It may be hard to believe or accept, but please hear me out."

Dawn's fingers clutched the back of one of the leather chairs. "Connor, you're scaring me."

"Do you remember the stories about Ramirez and his adventures?" he asked catching her off guard.

She blinked at the strange turn of conversation. "Yeah, I guess."

"Do you remember what I said when you asked how his injuries could heal so fast?"

"You said he was immortal. It was like magic."

Connor took a deep breath. "The stories are true. He was my teacher, and I am like him."

She stared at him warily. "What are you saying?"

"I am immortal."

"What? C'mon, stop joking. What's really going on?"

Knowing a demonstration was in order, Connor looked down at the desk top and picked up a sharp dirk that Methos was using as a letter opener. He showed her his palm then winced as he dragged the knife's edge across his skin making a nasty cut. She gasped as blood began to seep. He pulled out a white handkerchief and wiped his hand. When he showed her his palm again, the wound had completely healed without so much as a scar.

Dawn was stunned. "I-it's a trick knife. I-it's not real."

Connor tossed the dirk in the air, caught it by the blade then flung it at a wall imbedding it in the wood. He felt the waves of disapproval come from Duncan who remained silent and allowed the scene to play out. Dawn stared at the knife which was still vibrating from the impact.

"I died during that train accident, but I came back to life," Connor continued then paused before continuing. "There's more. Someone's trying to kill me."

"What?! How? If you're immortal…"

"Usually if I die, I will come back to life, but if I am beheaded –"

"What?!"

"-I will truly die."

"B-but w-why does someone want to kill you?"

"By taking my head, he will absorb my quickening, my life force, and become stronger."

"Oh god," she said.

Connor took a step toward her, and his heart broke a little as she shrunk away from him.

After a moment, she began to pace the room. "If someone's trying to kill you, we should go to the police."

"We can't go to the police."

"Okay. Fine," she said as she continued to pace. "We'll leave the country. India. We'll go to India. I did a report about it last year. There's over a billion people in India. We can get lost quite easily there. Plus I hear monsoon season is lovely this time of year."

Connor smiled in spite of himself. "What about Rachel?"

Dawn continued to pace and plan. "She can sell the store and all its contents, have our stuff packed up and meet us in Mumbai. After that, the world's our oyster."

"Running away is not the answer," he said.

"Oh yeah? Then why are we in Seacouver rather than New York?" she demanded then caught Connor and Duncan exchange a look. Her quick mind put two and two together. "No! No, you can't –"

Connor walked quickly toward her and put both hands on her shoulders. "I have to confront him, but in order to focus on what I have to do; I need to know you're safe. Duncan can protect you."

"I don't want you to die," she sobbed and hugged him tight.

"Me neither," he replied kissing the top of her head.


	33. Sisterly Bonding

Chapter 33: Sisterly Bonding

"Welcome to Seacouver," the man said as he held the door open for her.

"Thank you," she smiled wearily and headed toward the main part of the airport. Rachel had spent seventeen of the past nineteen hours on planes and barely made her flight to Seacouver due to long lines at Customs back at the John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York. All she truly wanted was a hot bath and a comfortable bed but knew that wasn't going to happen any time soon.

When she saw him standing by the baggage carousel, she knew something was wrong. Forgetting her fatigue, she quickly walked toward him. "Where are Dawn and Connor?"

"They're safe at my place," Methos reassured her then took a deep breath. "He was telling her when I left."

She closed her eyes. "Oh no."

"Let's get you home," he said.

-oOo-

During the forty-five minute ride, Methos summed up the day's events.

"Poor Dawn," Rachel sighed. "What a horrible way to find out the truth."

"Is there really any good way?" he asked.

"Good point," she said. "At least she's safe."

Once they reached the house, Methos explained the sleeping arrangements.

"I can't take your bedroom," she protested as she followed him through the front door.

"Yes, you can," he insisted and dropped off the bag in the room in question. "Since it's further away from the staircase, it's one of safest bedrooms in the house. Anyone trying to get to you has to get past Duncan, Richie and myself not to mention Connor."

"Thank you," she relented too tired to put up much resistance.

The MacLeods were waiting on the main floor. Duncan came to her first kissing her on the cheek. Smiling, she kissed him back then went to Connor who was looking quite haggard. Wordlessly she hugged him tight.

Eventually, Rachel eased out of the embrace. "Where's Dawn?"

"Upstairs in her room," Connor answered.

"How did it go?"

"As well as can be expected," he replied. "She wants to move to India. Had it all planned out within twenty seconds."

"Always said she was smart," Rachel chuckled. "I better go talk to her."

"Last bedroom on the second floor," Methos said.

Rachel smiled, and the men watched her climb the stairs. Methos turned to the younger immortals. "Okay, let's go over this again."

-oOo-

Rachel knocked on the door and slowly opened it. "Dawn?"

A figure lying on the bed stirred. "Rachel?"

She walked into the room, sat on the bed and opened her arms. Dawn's lower lip quivered then she flung herself into the older woman's comforting embrace.

"I'm so sorry you had to find out this way," Rachel said.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"We wanted to wait until you were old enough to understand."

Dawn pulled out of the hug. "I'm not sure I'd ever be old enough to understand."

Rachel said nothing as the girl laid her head on her lap and continued, "It's such a mess. I wish he wasn't immortal. Then this wouldn't be happening."

Rachel smiled slightly as she recalled all the times she made a similar wish and countered, "But think about how different our lives would be if he wasn't immortal, if he hadn't survived that train accident ten years ago."

Dawn said nothing so she continued and began stroking the girl's hair soothingly. "I've never told you much about my past. I was born in Germany during World War II. By the time I was four, my entire family had been killed. I was hiding in a bombed out factory when a man found me. He was about to carry me out of there when a Nazi officer shot him in the back. He died and fell on top of me then suddenly came back to life. He got up and killed the officer. He save my life that day and raised me as his daughter. For about fifty years it had been the two of us until one fateful night when he decided to take a train from Boston to New York."

Dawn slowly sat up and looked at her. "You mean…"

Rachel nodded. "And our lives haven't been the same since."

Dawn was silent for a moment then said with a small smile. "I've always wanted a sister."


	34. Mi Casa es Su Casa

Chapter 34: Mi Casa es Su Casa

The duel had gone on for some time, and she could do nothing. Connor fell to his knees, and the man raised his sword for the final stroke. She opened her mouth to scream …

Dawn woke with a gasp. She sat up, squeezed her eyes shut and began to rock herself and repeat, "It's just a dream. It's just a dream."

She slowly opened her eyes and took in the unfamiliar surroundings of the turret bedroom. Everything came flooding back. It wasn't a dream.

Putting her head in her hands, she groaned. Knowing there was no chance of going back to sleep, she got out of bed. Shivering in her plaid flannel pajama pants and camisole top, she put on her slippers and shrugged on her NYU sweatshirt.

Dawn slowly opened the bedroom door and stepped onto the gallery that overlooked the vaulted anteroom. She looked over the railing to her right and noticed there was no one in the room below. To her left was the door to the master bedroom. She carefully opened the door and peeked inside to find Rachel fast asleep. That flight from Athens is going to throw her internal clock completely out of whack, Dawn thought as she closed the door and continued toward the staircase. She paused once at the opened door of Connor's room. He wasn't there, and the bed had already been made. She tiptoed down the stairs and winced when she stepped on a creak that seemed to echo throughout the whole house.

When Dawn reached the ground floor, she sniffed the flowers in the vase on the large round table in the middle of the anteroom then stopped unsure of what to do next. Since she didn't have her swimsuit on, there was little point in going to the pool. Besides, the only door to the pool was through the living room, and Richie was sound asleep on the couch. She wasn't really hungry so she ruled out going to the kitchen. By the process of elimination, that left the library.

Whenever she entered a room, Dawn always gravitated to whatever bookcases were there. You could tell a lot about a person based on the contents of his or her bookcases. There were no paperback potboilers in this library. All the books were hardcover, and most of the titles were literary classics. Dawn also suspected that many were first editions. She couldn't help gliding her fingers over the spines of the bound volumes as she skimmed the titles. She stopped abruptly when she reached the end of one bookcase and came face to face with the dirk, still wedged into the wall.

Dawn stared at the protruding knife for a moment then pulled it out of the wall. She had to yank hard, and a splintered gash was left behind. She took the knife back to the desk. While examining the blade, the sharp tip pricked her finger. She dropped the weapon immediately and stared as the small wound began to bleed. She instinctively stuck her finger in her mouth and explored the rest of the room.

When Dawn reached the baby grand, she sat down on the piano bench. After making sure the bleeding had stopped, she placed her hands above the keys. She took a deep breath and began to play.

-oOo-

Being a light sleeper was one of the things that helped Methos survive for 5,000 years. He first began to stir when he heard Duncan leave the other bedroom on the third floor. He suspected that the younger MacLeod was off to train with the older MacLeod in the gym in the basement. About forty-five minutes later he heard a creak from the staircase that told him Dawn was likely awake.

Giving her a little time to explore on her own, he waited ten minutes before getting out of bed. He stretched briefly then put on a silk robe of deep gold with black embroidery. Silently he left the bedroom and made his way to the stairs.

The only thing Methos heard when he reached the main floor was Richie snoring. He found the younger immortal sprawled face down on the couch, arm hanging over one side. He wouldn't have been surprised if a little drool was involved and didn't really want to confirm his suspicions.

The melancholy tones of Beethoven's "Moonlight Sonata" drifted from the library. I think I know where she is, he thought with a smile. Though he tried to be as quiet as possible, she stopped the moment she sensed his presence at the door.

"Please don't stop on my account," Methos said knowing she was unlikely to continue. He entered the room. "I don't believe we've been properly introduced. I'm Adam Pierson."

"Dawn Summers," she said shaking his hand. "You have a beautiful house."

"Thank you," he said walking to the leather chairs. Noticing the gash in the wall, he fingered it and shook his head.

"Uh-"

"It's okay. Connor already told me what he did," Methos said as he sat down in one of the leather chairs then muttered, "and here I thought Duncan was the dramatic one in the family."

There were a few moments of awkward silence then Dawn said, "I really like your chess set. Chinese, early 19th century?"

Methos was surprised by her keen observation. "Cantonese, late 18th century."

She smiled self-consciously. "Side effect of growing up overtop an antique store."

He motioned to the piano. "That was lovely. Do you take lessons?"

"Used to," she said closing the lid over the piano keys.

"Not anymore?"

She shook her head. "I knew I'd never be Claudia Jardine so I stopped. I started high school this year and thought I'd try something different."

"Such as?" he prompted.

"School paper."

"Ah, a budding journalist."

"Photojournalist."

"A young Linda Plager."

"Maybe," she blushed. "You know her work."

He nodded. "Moving stuff."

"Saw an exhibit of her work in New York when I was little. There was this photo of a man rescuing a boy from a burning building. In spite of all the tragedy, there was hope." Dawn gazed downward and said softly, "Right after that Connor gave me my first camera."

She looks so lost, Methos thought then said, "I know you've had a strange couple of days, but you're safe here. Mi casa es su casa. Please make yourself at home. Feel free to use the pool or the media room in the basement. Maybe we could even play a little chess. But in the meantime, how about some breakfast?"


	35. A Different Kind of Watcher

Chapter 35: A Different Kind of Watcher

"He's here."

Joe looked up from his paperwork to find a young blonde with soulful eyes and a gentle smile standing in the doorway. He left the small back office and entered the bar proper.

"Right over there," she said motioning toward a lone figure at a small table by the stairs to the balcony.

"Thanks, Tara," he said.

"No problem, boss," the waitress replied as she picked up her tray to get the man's order, but Joe stopped her.

"It's okay. I'll take care of it," he said and pulled out a bottle of the special single malt scotch that he kept on hand for Duncan. He placed it on a tray along with two old-fashioned glasses and went to meet Connor's watcher.

"Compliments of the house," he said pouring some scotch into the 4-oz glasses when he reached the table. "Joe Dawson. It's good to finally meet you."

The man shook the proffered hand then raised a glass. "Rupert Giles."

"Glad you could make it," Joe said as he sat down on the other chair.

"When the area supervisor requests a meeting, who am I to refuse?" Rupert asked and took a healthy swig of alcohol.

Oh yeah, this is going to go well, Joe thought then said, "I hear you've seen some action in the last few days."

"I'm sure you have," Rupert said finishing off his drink and pouring himself another. He exhaled loudly. "Sorry, I've been on edge as of late."

"No problem. It's not like my relationship with Duncan MacLeod's that much of a secret."

"Not really," Rupert agreed with a half smile and took a swallow of scotch. "Have you ever watched an immortal that was raising a child?"

"No, I haven't," Joe admitted having only watched two immortals prior to his current assignment. Unsurprisingly, Connor's situation was far from common given the inherent lifestyle of an immortal.

"I've been watching Connor since Merrick Jamison-Smythe was killed during that train accident. Ever since Dawn came into his life. I watched her grow up. Even made contact once when she got lost in F.A.O. Schwarz," Rupert said then downed the rest of his drink. "And yesterday I watched as a man with a gun chased her down an alley."

Joe looked on with some concern as the other man poured himself a third drink.

"Watcher rule number one. Do not interfere. I've never felt so helpless in my life," Rupert said staring at the scotch-filled glass then gulped half of the liquor. He noticed Joe's conflicted expression. "What do you need?"

Joe hesitated for a moment. "Someone has a theory that there may be more to this than a standard headhunting. Did you recognize the men who were chasing Connor and Dawn?"

"Not really though they've been following them for about three weeks."

"Was Dawn always with Connor when these men were following?"

Rupert took a sip of scotch and reviewed the events of the last month. "Yes, yes she was. If another immortal's involved, I haven't seen him nor have I seen his watcher."

"He might not have a watcher," Joe said.

Rupert's eyes narrowed. "You mean he might be one of those?"

Joe nodded.

"So you know who it is?" Rupert asked.

"Suspicions. Nothing solid though apparently the m.o. fits," Joe replied. "I'm going to call a taxi to take you back to your hotel. Then I want you to take a couple of days off."

"What about my assignment?"

"They're holed up, and I doubt they'll be going anywhere. If they do, I'll let you know."


	36. Acceptance, Denial & Other Possibilities

Chapter 36: Acceptance, Denial and Other Possibilities

Supper had been a rather tense affair. Rachel, Methos, Duncan and Richie tried to keep the conversation going, but Dawn and Connor were quiet. When the meal finally ended, Dawn asked to be excused.

"Since you helped with dinner, I don't see why not," Methos said.

"You want to watch a movie in the media room?" Connor asked.

"No thanks," she said trying to avoid eye contact as she got up from the table. "There's some homework I want to finish off."

"Okay," he said. "Maybe later."

"Maybe," Dawn said then went to her room.

"She hasn't been this withdrawn since she first came to live with me only then she wouldn't let me out of her sight. Now she doesn't even want to be in the same room as me," Connor sighed as Duncan and Richie began to clear the dishes off of the table.

"She's confused, hurt and, most of all, terrified of losing the man who has raised her since she was four. Let's just say that I can relate," Rachel commented. "Give her some time. She'll be fine."

"Besides, we have other things to worry about," Methos said.

"Such as?" Connor asked.

"Such as the possibility that you are not the target," the older immortal replied.

-oOo-

Dawn went up to her room, sat on the bed and watched as rain pelted the curved window. So many things were whirling around in her head that she felt like screaming for them to stop. She glanced down at her knapsack and noticed the corner of her diary peeking out from beneath a sweatshirt. She pulled it out, grabbed her fountain pen and began to write:

\\\ What do you do when your world's been completely turned upside down? Last week my biggest concerns were making the school paper and wondering if Alexander Harris would ever notice me. Now I find out that some sociopath wants to take Connor's head and leave me an orphan for the second time.

Rachel and Connor say that he's been out of the Game since I came live with him. It scares me when I think about how easily I could lose him. /

Dawn stopped and touched the triquetra necklace around her throat. Connor had given it to her on her last birthday. He said that it was her mother's, and he thought she might like it. Leaning against the headboard she sighed then started to think about the Game. She tried to recall the stories about Ramirez that Connor used to tell her. Closing her diary, she grabbed her notebook, opened it to a blank page and began to write down the Game's rules as best she could remember.

-oOo-

After listening to Methos' theory, the others reacted in typical fashion.

"Are you out of your mind?" Duncan asked.

"Joe confirmed my suspicions. The men that attacked Connor and Dawn have been following them for several weeks," Methos said then turned to the immortal in question. "After they attacked and killed you, they continued to chase after Dawn."

"She was a witness," Connor pointed out.

"She was with you every time you sensed him back in New York," Methos added.

"Bad timing," Connor countered.

"Actually, there was one time when Dawn wasn't there initially," Rachel said slowly as a knot of fear formed in her stomach. "Remember, Connor? You told me that you were in the shop when you sensed him then Dawn came home from the art fair. What if he was following her?"

"It's just a coincidence," Connor said in denial.

"From what I hear, he has always been more interested in magic than the Game," Methos said. "If given a choice, he'd be more like to go after a witch than another immortal."

"Dawn is not a witch," Connor declared and abruptly got up from the table.

"Denying something doesn't make it any less real," Methos said.

"Can't Joe talk to Kilross' watcher?" Duncan asked as his kinsman paced the dining area.

"Kilross is a special case," Methos replied. "From what I understand, his watchers had a rather alarming tendency to disappear or turn up dead. After awhile, he was placed on a 'No Watcher' list. Those on this list are very dangerous. Kilross' movements are tracked by the watchers of the immortals who cross his path."

Richie finally spoke up. "If Dawn's a witch –"

"She's not a witch," Connor glared.

"If Dawn's a witch," Richie pressed on, "how can you tell? I mean, is there DNA test or something?"

"A natural witch is born with an innate magical ability," Methos explained. "There's a ritual that can be performed to test Dawn."

"And just who would perform this ritual?" Connor asked. "You?"

"I can't," Methos said. "It must be done by a witch."

"So what are you going to do?" Duncan asked. "Dial 1-800-WITCHES-R-US?"

"As it happens, I know of a witch here in Seacouver," Methos said.

"You do?" Richie asked.

"And so do you," Methos added.

"I do?" Richie asked confused.

"Tara," Methos said.

"Tara's a witch?" Richie asked.

Methos turned back to Connor. "We can trust her, and I think we should do the ritual if for no other reason than to rule out the possibility."

Connor was silent for a moment then asked Duncan, "What do you think?"

"As ridiculous as it sounds, I think he has a point, and Tara is very trustworthy. We can avoid mentioning the immortal side of things."

"Okay," Connor sighed, "Set it up."

Methos nodded. "I'll see if she can come tomorrow. Now I need to ask you some more questions about Dawn."

"Why?" Connor asked warily.

"Just ruling out other possibilities."


	37. Cookies and Questions

Chapter 37: Cookies and Questions

The next morning Dawn found herself alone in the kitchen eating some toast with peanut butter. As usual, neither Duncan nor Connor was in their rooms, and since the couch was empty, she suspected the Richie was with them.

Sipping her orange juice, she contemplated her choices. Since she was about a week ahead of her classmates, there seemed to be little point in doing more homework. Since it was still raining, there seemed to be little point in going outside. Even if she did take an umbrella, she doubted that she'd be allowed to go very far.

Maybe I'll go for a swim, she thought then began to read the label on the back of the peanut butter jar.

When Methos reached the ground floor about an hour later, an enticing aroma wafted from the kitchen. Following the scent, he found Dawn removing some cookies from a baking sheet and placing them on a rack to cool. "Good morning."

Dawn froze for a moment. "Good morning. I hope you don't mind me baking."

"I don't mind," Methos said as he walked across the kitchen and sat down on one of the barstools by the counter. He took a bite of a still warm cookie. "These are good."

"Thanks. The recipe was on the back of the jar," she said as she put the last of the dough on the baking sheet. "It was pretty simple. Just peanut butter, an egg and some sugar."

"Bet they'd taste good with coffee," he said and got up to make some. After the oven timer went off, she removed another baking sheet, put in the last batch and reset the timer.

"Did you sleep well?" he asked.

Dawn nodded as she began placing the freshly baked cookies on the rack.

"As well as can be expected under the circumstances?" he asked.

"Yeah," she admitted with a shrug and finished removing the remaining cookies. "It's just so hard to believe that all those Ramirez stories are true."

Thoughts of his former student brought a smile to Methos' face. "Connor told you about Ramirez?"

"Yeah," she said then looked closely at him. "Did you know Ramirez?"

His expression didn't change though inwardly he groaned. It's always the little things that trip you up, he thought then asked, "How could I have known Ramirez?"

"Because I think you're immortal."

"Why would you think I'm immortal?"

"Partly intuition," she said as she began to clean up the mess she had made. "Both Connor and Duncan consider you a friend. Since they were going to bring trouble to your door, they would have told you the truth about the situation. Yet, here we still are, and I doubt that we would be if you were a regular guy."

"Maybe I'm feeling quixotic," he suggested.

Dawn narrowed her eyes in consideration. "Maybe, though I think that's more Duncan's style."

She has the younger MacLeod pegged, Methos thought then prompted, "You said partly intuition."

She nodded. "But it was mostly your house."

"Why my house?" he asked as he got up to pour himself some coffee.

"It's full of antiques that are still being used rather than kept in a glass case to be admired," she replied as she gathered up the dishes and put them in the sink.

"I'm sure that some of Connor's clients use the items they purchase," he said sitting back down by the counter.

"I doubt many people use a 16th century dirk as a letter opener," she pointed out then said dismissively, "They'd probably have it framed with a letter of provenance."

"Maybe I'm eccentric," he suggested.

"Maybe, but the biggest factor is that your house is completely self-contained," she said and ran some water into the sink. "With online grocery shopping and home delivery, one would never have to leave holy ground. A pretty convenient situation for an immortal."

Saved by the bell, Methos thought as the oven timer went off, and she went to retrieve the baked cookies.

"Dawn's a very clever girl," Rachel said as she came into the kitchen then raised an eyebrow, "and once in a while she can be a little rude."

Dawn blushed. "Sorry, Mr. Pierson."

"It's natural to be curious," Methos said, "and it's Adam."

"Would you like some coffee, Rachel?" Dawn asked.

"Yes, thank you," she said and sat down on the other barstool by the counter.

"So, ladies, what are your plans for today?" Methos asked.

"Actually, I was thinking of doing some laundry," Rachel replied, "if you don't mind."

"Not at all," he assured her, "I'll show you the laundry room after breakfast."

-oOo-

"A load takes about a half hour," Methos said as he showed Rachel and Dawn how to use the washer and dryer.

While they were in the basement, he gave them a little tour. There was a games room that had a pool table and a dart board and a media room complete with a big screen television and a home theatre system. They were about to go upstairs when Dawn motioned to a closed door. "What's in there?"

"That's the, uh, gym," Methos said.

"You mean, that's where they're training," Dawn clarified.

"Yes," Rachel said, "and they likely don't wish to be disturbed."

-oOo-

A half hour later, Dawn came downstairs to put in another load of laundry. On her way back upstairs, she paused by the closed door. Tiptoeing up to it, she cautiously pressed her ear against it. Nothing, she thought and assumed that the gym must be soundproof.

Dawn bit her lip and, after a moment, started to reach for the doorknob. She was about to grasp it when she stopped, backed away and ran upstairs.


	38. Chick Flicks and Conversations

Chapter 38: Chick Flicks and Conversations

"Sweet," Richie said as the small microwave oven in the media room beeped. "Popcorn's done."

"Good," Dawn said and put a movie into the DVD player.

He brought the popcorn and two glasses of coke to the couch. "So is this a chick flick?"

She rolled her eyes and pressed 'PLAY' on the remote. "This movie has everything. Fighting, fencing, giants, true love, torture, revenge and miracles."

"Fencing?" Richie asked as he settled back. "Okay, I'll try to stay awake."

-oOo-

Methos set the kettle on a burner and turned on the stove. While he waited for the water to boil, he arranged some of Dawn's cookies on a plate along with a few lemon slices and a small container of honey. By the time he finished putting everything on a tray, the kettle began to whistle. He made the tea then carried the refreshments upstairs to the master bedroom.

Methos found Rachel sitting on the winged back chair watching the mist settle over the bay below. "I thought you might like some tea and cookies."

"Sounds wonderful," Rachel smiled.

"Shall we sit on the balcony?" Methos asked as he set the tray carefully down on the bed.

"Won't it be a bit cool?"

He shook his head and flicked a switch near the patio doors. "The heaters will take off most of the chill."

"Where are Connor and Dawn?" Rachel asked as she got up and put on a warm sweater.

"Connor's with Duncan in the gym, and Dawn's with Richie watching 'The Princess Bride' in the media room," he replied.

Rachel held the patio door open while Methos carried the tray out to the small table on the balcony. She sat down on one of the two chairs, and he began to serve the tea.

"You remembered," she said as he added some lemon and honey to her cup.

He simply smiled, handed her the cup, poured himself some tea then sat down. "So tell me what you've been up to lately."

-oOo-

"Okay, that was pretty good," Richie said as the end credits began to roll.

"Told you," Dawn replied as she pressed 'STOP' on the remote. "Some of the best swordfights in film history."

"Yeah, they're not bad," he said.

"Good for inspiration," she said then continued when he shot her a puzzled look. "My name is Dawn Summers. You killed my Connor. Prepare to die."

"Dawn, stop it," he ordered. "Connor's been training with Duncan since you two came to Seacouver even more so since we came to this house. Besides, do you think that he'd live to be over 400 years old if he were an easy mark?"

She was silent for a moment then asked, "So are you immortal, too?

Richie, who had just taken a sip of coke, began to choke. "Wh-what makes you think that?"

"Well, most everyone else around here seems to be immortal so why not you?" she shrugged.

He squirmed under her scrutinizing gaze then confessed, "Yeah, I'm immortal."

"How old are you?"

"25," he replied then answered the question he saw in her eyes. "It happened about six years ago. The night Tessa was killed. I was shot, too, which triggered my immortality."

"So you know about the rules of the Game," she said.

"Yeah," he said slowly wondering what she was getting at.

"Good," she nodded. "'cause I have questions. Mostly about holy ground. What constitutes holy ground?"

Richie thought back to the rules that Duncan had drilled into his head. "Holy ground is any place that is considered sacred regardless of religion."

"So like a synagogue, a cemetery-"

"-Buddhist monastery, Indian burial ground, Greek temple, all holy ground," he confirmed.

"Okay, immortals can't kill each other on holy ground, right?" Dawn asked. When he nodded, she continued. "What about mortals? Can a mortal kill an immortal on holy ground?"

Richie thought about the renegade watchers who had killed Darius in his own church. "Yes."

He watched as she contemplated his answer and waited for her next question. He didn't have to wait long.

She turned to him with worry in her eyes. "So if this guy's henchmen are mortal, they could come here and kill all of us even though we're on holy ground."

Richie rolled his eyes. "A tad overdramatic, don't you think?"

"I'm entitled to be dramatic, don't you think?" she countered.

"Okay, yes, theoretically that could happen," he conceded, "but I don't think you really need to worry about those guys killing us. First they'd have to find us. Then they'd have to get pass the outer security. Then they'd have to get pass the house security. What are the chances of that happening?"

"Well pretty darn good now that you've jinxed us," she scowled as she crossed her arms and leaned back into the couch. "What happens if an immortal does kill another immortal on holy ground?"

"Traditionally, immortals don't fight on holy ground," he said and finished off his soda. "Legend has it that two immortals may have been fighting on holy ground in Pompeii when the volcano erupted."

"So the whole Mount Vesuvius erupting may have happened because of a quickening?"

"Maybe," he shrugged.

"So the whole tradition of not fighting on holy ground could have been started because a fight between two immortals would likely end up in a death which could cause a disaster of epic proportions."

"Maybe," he said slowly trying to follow her logic.

Her brow furrowed. "Okay, I'm still kinda confused. Say that it's the death rather than the fight itself that is bad. What would constitute an immortal dying on holy ground? Say that one immortal shoots another immortal, and he or she dies. Would that be enough to trigger an apocalyptic event? To paraphrase Miracle Max, you're just mostly dead. Not all dead. I mean, an immortal is not truly dead until he or she is beheaded, right?"

How did this get so philosophical? Richie thought to himself then confessed. "I'm not sure what would happen."

"Why don't you know?"

"I'm sorry, but I'm not about to die on holy ground just to satisfy your curiosity."

"Considering the seriousness of this so-called Game, these rules are surprisingly vague," she complained.


	39. Reconcilable Differences

Chapter 39: Reconcilable Differences

"Okay, that's it," Rachel said as she crumpled her napkin and put it on her now empty plate. She looked at Methos, Duncan and Richie. "Would you three mind taking care of the dishes? I'd like to freshen up before our company arrives, and Dawn and Connor need to talk."

The teenager opened her mouth, but the older woman cut her off with a pointed look. "Now."

Rachel followed Dawn and Connor into the living room then continued upstairs. The other two sat uncomfortably on the couch and watched as the rain hit the French doors that led to the backyard. Eventually Connor broke the silence. "How goes the homework?"

"I'm about a week ahead," Dawn replied then after a moment or two asked, "How goes the training?"

"It's going well," he said. "I'll be ready when the time comes."

She sat quietly for a while then asked, "Can I see your sword?"

He got up and went to the credenza in the anteroom where he had placed his katana just before supper. He brought it into the living room and presented it to her still sheathed.

She took it almost reverently with both hands. Her fingers skimmed over the elaborately carved hilt with its dragon-headed tip. "This was Ramirez's katana, wasn't it?"

"Yes."

"It's just like I imagined it was when you told me those stories," she said with a small smile then asked softly. "How did he die?"

"My first death happened during a clan war. I was killed by an immortal known as the Kurgan. When I came back to life, I was chased out of my village. I eventually settled down with a woman named Heather. Ramirez found me five years later and became my first teacher. One night when I was away from the croft, the Krugan came and took his head."

"What happened to the Krugan?"

"I killed him."

He watched as she digested the information. She handed the katana back to him. "If you don't like India, we could go to South America. I've always wanted to visit Machu Picchu. Or we could go to Africa and climb Mt. Kilimanjaro and see if the Ngorongoro Crater really does have its own distinctive weather patterns."

"And what's to prevent him from following us to South America or Africa?" When she said nothing, he continued, "Dawn, I get that you're scared. Believe me, I do, but I have to confront him. Otherwise, we may never be safe."

"And what happens if you get killed?"

"Rachel has power of attorney and becomes your guardian."

"And what if something happens to her?"

"Then Duncan will take care of you."

"What if he dies during some revenge quest?"

"Then Richie will take care of you."

"What if he gets beheaded in some freak motorcycle accident?"

"Then Adam will take care of you."

"I don't want Adam. I want you!"

"Dawn, listen to me," he said sternly. "I have to do this, okay?"

She lowered her eyes and nodded chastised.

"Dawn, look at me," he said not unkindly and waited until her eyes met his. "Okay?"

"Okay," she nodded again finally accepting his decision then changed the topic. "Rachel said we're having company?"

"Um, yes we are. They're friends of Adam's," Connor said awkwardly. "Uh, there's something else we need to discuss."


	40. By the Pricking of My Thumb

Chapter 40: By the Pricking of My Thumb

"Can you believe this weather?" Tara asked as she handed her raincoat to Methos.

"I think it's raining harder now than it was when we left the bar," Willow said wringing her damp red hair. "By the time we got here, we could barely see through the windshield."

"You know it's bad when the locals are complaining," Joe said. A loud clap of thunder outside agreed with him.

As they descended the stairs, Tara caught Methos' eye and nodded slightly. When they reached the main floor where the others waited, introductions were made.

"I thought you could perform the ritual here in the anteroom," Methos said. The large round table had been moved against the wall to clear a space.

"Since we need to use candles, a marble floor is probably best," Willow agreed.

The others watched as the two witches set up a circle of candles then poured some water from a bottle into a pewter bowl. As the redhead began to light the candles, Tara turned to Dawn. "If it's okay with you, Willow will perform the ritual."

"Is it going to hurt?" the teenager asked.

"Minimally," Tara replied.

"Dawn, could you come into the circle?" Willow asked already seated cross-legged on the floor.

After sending a look toward Connor and Rachel, she complied and sat across from the witch with the bowl between them. "Now what?"

The witch pulled out a knife.

"Woah," Dawn exclaimed leaning back quickly almost knocking over some candles in the process.

"Sorry," Willow apologized and turned the knife around so that the hilt was towards Dawn. "Take the athamae."

She reluctantly took the hilt.

"I need you to prick your right thumb enough so that you can squeeze a drop of blood into the moon-blessed water."

After a moment, Dawn made a face as she nicked her thumb and squeezed a droplet of blood into the bowl.

Willow closed her eyes and raised her hands above the bowl. After saying a Wiccan prayer, she recited the plea. "O Goddess, we beseech you. Is Dawn one of your daughters?"

The blood in the water began to swirl. Then the bowl's contents began to glow. The light grew until there was a sudden flash. Lightning zigzagged from the center of the circle to the candles causing the flames to flare two feet into the air before extinguishing.

"Woah," Richie said stunned.

"What was that?" Dawn demanded.

"The answer to two questions," Tara replied.

"You are most definitely a witch," Willow said.

"Oh god," Dawn said as she quickly got out of the circle. Thunder rumbled outside.

"What's the second question?" Connor asked.

"When Adam asked us to do the ritual, he also asked us to do a chart," Tara said.

"It's similar to an astrological chart only it's based on Wiccan traditions," Willow explained. "Adam gave us Dawn's birth information. Like most things in life, it's all in the timing."

"According to Wiccan legend, toward the end of each century a natural witch is born that has the potential to be the most powerful witch of the next century," Tara said then glancing at Willow for confirmation added, "we think Dawn's that witch."

"What?!" the girl in question sputtered.

"Dawn, calm down," Connor said and started to come towards her.

"No, you're wrong," she told the witches. "You have to be wrong."

The storm suddenly swelled. Wind whipped the tree tops as lightning cracked the night sky. The rain's steady beat against the windows became a rapid staccato.

"Enough with the lousy weather," Dawn ground out with frustration.

Within moments, the storm eased off and soon even the rain stopped. Everyone turned to her. She shuffled uncomfortably. "It's just a coincidence."

Duncan glared at Methos as Rachel went to Dawn. "You knew about this?"

"It was a hunch," he admitted.

"Dawn, has anything ever happened to you that seemed unusual and difficult to explain?" Tara asked.

The teenager's eyes darted back to the circle of candles. "Nothing comes to mind."

"What about the night of the sleepover?" Connor asked and knew he was right when she looked at him like a deer caught in the headlights. "I know you swore an oath of secrecy, but I'm sure your friends would understand."

Dawn stared at the floor for a few moments then said, "It was the night of my thirteenth birthday. My friends and I were using an ouija board."

"And something happened," Willow deduced.

Dawn nodded still looking down. "We made contact with the spirit of a ten year-old boy named Jack."

"What did Jack say?" Tara asked.

"Basically he said he came to warn me that I was in danger from magic and that I had to kill Ross," the teenager said not catching the startled looks from the immortals. "I don't even know a Ross."

"Dawn, was it 'kill Ross' or Kilross, one word?" Methos asked.

She thought for a moment. "One word. What does it matter? Tasha was probably pushing the pointer and using trick candles."

"What happened with the candles?" Willow asked.

Dawn looked trapped then took a resigned breath and motioned toward the circle of candles on the floor. "Same thing that happened to those ones."

The other two witches turned to each other. Tara asked, "What do you think?"

"I think we should talk to Jack," Willow replied.


	41. Talking with the Dead

Chapter 41: Talking with the Dead

"Okay, we're ready to begin," Willow said.

Once they decided to hold a séance, they moved the large oval table back to the center of the anteroom and gathered enough chairs for everyone to sit. Tara dimmed the lights then placed a white candle on the table and lit it.

"Everyone place your hands on the table and do not remove them," the redhead instructed.

After they did as she requested, Willow began the summons. "We are seeking Jack. You came to Dawn once before, and she needs your help again. Will you come?"

A cool breeze blew through the room causing the candle's flame to flicker. Out of nowhere, several balls of light appeared and swirled around the ceiling. Spinning and colliding, they slowly descended toward the tabletop forming a circle.

Gradually the ghostly image of a ten year-old boy dressed in late 19th century clothing appeared in the center of the circle. He looked around at those seated at the table until he saw a wide-eyed Dawn then said, "You're wearing the necklace."

Resisting the urge to remove her hands from the table to touch the pendent, she said, "It was my mother's."

"And it was her mother's before hers, and her mother's before hers, and her mother's before hers," the apparition said, "and my sister's before that."

Silence fell as everyone absorbed the implication of the ghost's words. Then Willow asked, "Jack, is Dawn in danger?"

The spirit turned to her. "Yes."

"What can you tell us about this danger?"

"His name is Kilross, and he tried to kill my sister."

"What happened?" Dawn asked.

Jack turned back to her. "My father was an army doctor, and my mother was a nurse. We moved to San Francisco when I was little. My parents got sick. Before he died, my father asked an officer named Riley Finn to take care of Pippa and me.

"He was like you," Jack said switching his disconcerting gaze to Connor before continuing. "A little while later, Kilross kidnapped Pippa. Riley went after them, and I followed. Kilross had my sister tied up in an empty building outside of the city. He was going to take her magic. While Riley and Kilross fought, I untied my sister. We were about to escape when Kilross killed Riley, and everything went crazy. The whole building started to shake and fall apart, and there was lightning everywhere. Pippa escaped, but the ceiling fell on top of me, and I died."

Jack fell silent for a few moments then said to Connor. "You have to stop him. You can't let him hurt Dawn."

"You have my word," the highlander promised.

The ghost nodded then tensed as though sensing some threat. "I have to go. Dawn, remember that magic is a part of you. You don't have to be scared of it."

With that last piece of advice, the spirit disappeared.


	42. Swords and Sorcerers

Chapter 42: Swords and Sorcerers

He had never been afraid of storms. Even as a child, the only thing he ever felt was excitement at witnessing nature at its most base and elemental. In fact, he considered the storm an auspicious omen on a night such as this when he would finally track down his quarry.

At first glance, Jason Kilross seemed rather unremarkable. Just shy of six feet in height, he had coal black hair and a lean build. The only thing that hinted at something more were his crystal blue eyes that could pierce a man's soul.

Born in a time when his contemporaries were embracing science, he embraced magic and became an apprentice to a sorcerer. He learnt much about the occult until they were attacked by a witch. While his master was vanquished, his death triggered his immortality. Swearing vengeance, he tracked down the witch, killed her, and in the process, absorbed her magic.

Eventually, he found out what it meant to be an immortal, but by that time, magic had become his obsession. While he was more than capable of participating in the Game, it held little interest. For him, magic was the key.

Along with this obsession came a slowly growing paranoia. Although he couldn't prove it, he often felt like he was being watched. He interrogated the mysterious tattooed men, but they all died before revealing anything useful. After a while, they stopped following him.

About three centuries ago, Kilross uncovered the Wiccan legend of the Chosen One, the most powerful witch of each century. The trick was to locate her when she was young and had yet to reach her full potential. He had failed twice before but vowed that this time would be different. After all, the third time's the charm.

Tracking down the newest Chosen One was proving surprisingly difficult. After the failed kidnapping attempt several days ago, his prey had disappeared. His henchmen reported no new sightings at the hotel or at the dojo. Though he had no evidence, he suspected that she was still in Seacouver which was why he was preparing to scry for her.

On a table in an office of an abandoned factory was a bowl of moon-blessed water, a crystal pendant, a map and the girl's baseball cap. He was somewhat irked that the storm abruptly dissipated before he could begin the ritual since he had hoped to tap into its raw power to boost the spell.

Whispering the incantation, Kilross put the baseball cap into the bowl then dipped the crystal into the water infusing it with the girl's magic scent. He lifted the crystal out of the bowl then gently swung it over the map. The crystal fell heavy on a cove just north of the city.

He smiled sinisterly. "Waterfront property. How convenient."


	43. In the Garden

Chapter 43: In the Garden

"But-"

"This is the first sunny day we've had since I arrived in Seacouver, and Dawn and I are going outside."

"But-"

"If the others get annoyed, just blame me."

"But-"

"Now be a dear boy and bring us some refreshments," Rachel requested as she patted Richie on the arm.

"Uh, okay," the young immortal said reluctantly and headed for the kitchen.

Rachel looped her arm through Dawn's, and they walked outside to the patio. As they descended the stone steps to the garden, she asked, "so how did this morning go?"

Dawn smiled slightly. Earlier she had asked to watch the MacLeods' training session, and they agreed. After they had sparred a little, they showed her some exercises. "It went well. We did some drills. Connor let me hold his katanna."

"And how are you feeling?" Rachel asked as they say down on the iron chairs in the flower garden.

"Still pretty overwhelmed," the girl admitted.

"I can imagine."

"I finally start accepting all this stuff about Connor when I find out I'm a witch."

"Just know that you don't have to go through this alone," Rachel said. "Okay?"

"Okay," Dawn smiled then looked out over the bay. "It's so nice to get out of the house."

"I agree," Rachel said. "It's a wonderful place as far as safe houses go."

"But a gilded cage is still a cage," Dawn added.

"Very true," the older woman nodded. "Ow!"

It was like something bit her. When she reached back, alarm grew within her as she felt something sticking out of her left shoulder blade. She pulled it out and discovered it was a small tranquilizer dart. Before she could do anything else, her eyes rolled back, and she passed out.

"Rachel!" Dawn exclaimed and shot out of her chair. She shook the older woman's shoulders, but she didn't wake up. She picked up the dart that had fallen then cried out when a similar dart hit her shoulder.

Must get help, Dawn thought and stumbled toward the stairs but blacked out before reaching the first step.

-oOo-

Richie put the three glasses of lemonade and the plate of cookies on a tray and carried everything out to the garden taking care not to spill anything. When he got to the double French doors, he saw four men dressed in black taking Dawn and Rachel to the beach.

Richie dropped the tray and rushed out one of the doors. The men noticed him, and one pulled out an UZI pistol and fired. The spray of bullets hit the young immortal in his chest causing him to fall backwards through the other door that was still closed.

-oOo-

The sound of shattering glass had Methos running from the library and into the living room. Upon finding Richie shot and on the floor, Methos pushed the 'Test' button on the security system's control panel by the French doors then spotted a speed boat crossing the bay. The test alarm brought the MacLeods upstairs from the gym.

"Where are Dawn and Rachel?" Connor demanded.

"They're gone," Methos replied grimly.


	44. The Scrying Game

Chapter 44: The Scrying Game

He had been going through the Watchers' database on his laptop when he received the phone call.

"Something wrong?" Tara asked when Joe rushed out of the back room of the bar.

"Dawn and Rachel have been kidnapped," he said shrugging on his coat. "I'm going over to the house now."

"Oh god," she said then asked. "Can I come with you? Maybe I can help."

-oOo-

"You can't just go off half cocked," Duncan said.

"I can't just sit here waiting for the phone to ring," Connor glared as he paced the length of the anteroom. "There may never be a phone call. We know they crossed the bay."

"And likely transferred the girls to a car and went who knows where," Duncan added.

"At least it's a place to start," Conner growled.

"I'm so sorry," Richie apologized again.

"I should have known they'd want to get out of the house," Connor said shaking his head.

"The men had UZIs," Duncan pointed out. "They were probably going to try to take the house anyway."

The immortals looked up to find Methos leading Joe and Tara down the stairs.

"Hey guys," Richie greeted in slight confusion. "What are you doing here?"

"Hoping to help," Joe replied.

"Well, we appreciate the moral support," Duncan said, "but I'm not sure how much help that will be."

"How about a little magical help?" Tara asked.

"What do you mean?" Connor asked staring at her intently.

"Dawn's a witch. I can try scrying for her, "Tara replied. "All I need is a personal item of hers and a city map."

"I'll get the map," Methos said heading to the library.

"I'll get something of Dawn's," Connor said.

-oOo-

Wanting to give her some space, Connor had not been in Dawn's bedroom since they had arrived in Methos' house. He discovered a pleasant room with comfortable furnishings. Heading straight for the open suitcase on the window seat, he spotted Ramirez sticking out from under a t-shirt.

Connor picked up the teddy bear and remembered the day he had given it to her. It had been the same day she had come to live with him. As he held the toy in his hand, he vowed to bring both of his daughters home.


	45. Threats and Other Promises

Chapter 45: Threats and Other Promises

The first thing she noticed was the throbbing pain in her head. Dawn winced as she slowly opened her eyes. The second thing she noticed was that she was tied to a chair in a strange room. Panic filled her as she began struggling against the ropes. "Rachel!"

The older woman was also bound and still unconscious.

"Rachel! Please wake up!"

Her pleas seemed to have an effect as the woman moaned and slowly lifted her chin from her chest. "Dawn?"

"A-are you okay?"

She shook her head to rid it from the drug induced stupor. "Everything's fuzzy. What happened?"

"I think we were drugged and kidnapped."

"Well, that would explain the fuzziness," Rachel replied opening her eyes wide in an effort to wake up.

"Wh-what are we going to do?"

The older woman tested her bonds without any success then looked at the frightened girl. "We're going to stay calm and not panic."

"But panic can be so entertaining," a voice said causing them to freeze. They looked around the room and saw no one then from a darkened corner a man slide out of the shadows.

"Who are you?" Rachel asked.

"Jason Kilross," he replied then noticed Dawn's eyes get wide. "I see you've heard of me. Good. Then you know that I'm not someone to be trifled with."

"And you must know that Connor will find us," Rachel said, "and when he does, he will kill you."

"He can try," the immortal said dismissively then turned back to Dawn. "So you're the one."

The girl whimpered as he came closer.

"Charmed," he said spying her pendant. "Let's see if I can do something about that."

He raised his left palm over the triquetra which began to glow. Dawn winced as the skin beneath the pendant grew hot.

"Stop it! Leave her alone!" Rachel ordered futilely.

"Be quiet, woman," Kilross growled raising his right hand out toward her. Rachel's eyes grew wide as her heart felt like it was being hit by a hammer. Her breathing became labored and began to hitch.

Dawn began to panic. "Stop it! You're killing her! Leave her alone!"

He ignored her and concentrated on Rachel. The more power he used on her the brighter Dawn's pendant glowed. Finally the power drain was too great, and he had to stop. By this time, Rachel had passed out. He winced and found that the triquetra had burnt itself into his palm.

"Rachel! Can you hear me?" Dawn pleaded to the unconscious woman. When she received no reply, she turned to him, "If she dies…"

"You'll soon follow," he promised then became very alert. Glaring at her one last time, he pulled out a sword and left the office.

"If Connor doesn't kill you, I will," Dawn vowed.


	46. With Swords a' Blazin'

Chapter 46: With Swords A' Blazin'

They decided to take one side of the building each and dispose of the outer security. Once the guards were taken care of, they'd pair off and go into the building.

Richie snuck up on one of the guards and grabbed him from behind with his left arm around the man's throat.

"This is for taking Dawn," he snarled punching the guard in the kidney.

"And this is for taking Rachel," he growled hitting him with another kidney shot. He then spun the weakened man around and grabbed him by his jacket lapels.

"And this is for shooting me," Richie spat and headbutted the man who slumped to the ground. Feeling vindicated, the young immortal turned to find Methos looking at him with a raised eyebrow.

"You done?" the older immortal asked causing a faint blush to colour Richie's cheeks. "Come on, the girls are waiting."

-oOo-

The MacLeods entered the building cautiously through the front after disposing of two guards. Connor turned to Duncan. "Find the girls."

"But-"

"He's mine."

One look at the determined expression on his kinsman's face, and Duncan knew he had no choice. "Watch your head."

-oOo-

Methos and Richie had just finished searching a room on the main floor when they felt another immortal. Instinctively both men's hands went to their swords, and they were about to draw them out when Duncan appeared in the doorway.

"Where's Connor?" Richie asked.

"Off to confront Kilross," Duncan replied. "Any sign of the girls?"

Methos shook his head. "They must be upstairs."

"Shall we?" Duncan asked motioning to the steps down the hall.

They climbed the stairs carefully with Duncan in the lead. The door of the first room was slightly opened and a quick glance revealed a single armed guard. Duncan picked up a discarded beer bottle and threw it at the end of the hall. The shattering glass startled the guard.

"Who's there?" he shouted then fired a spray of bullets.

"Somebody help!" Dawn cried out.

"Shut up!" the man ordered then slowly approached the door that led to the hall.

Duncan waited until the barrel of the automatic rifle was poking out of the door. He grabbed it and jammed its butt into the man's stomach. As he caught the guard in a quick chokehold, his friends entered the room and deduced that the girls were in the adjoining office.

Before Methos could caution him, Richie ran toward the other door and got zapped by an invisible field. The jolt sent the young immortal flying backwards and he landed with a thud. He groaned, "Son of a-"

"Nice," Methos commented.

"Who's there?" Dawn asked from the other room.

"It's us, Dawn. Just hang tight. We're going to get you out of there," Duncan said.

"Hurry," she urged. "Rachel's hurt."

Duncan exchanged worried glances with Methos then asked, "How are we going to get them out of there? What is this?"

"If Dawn was the primary target, do you really think he'd leave just one guard to watch her?" Methos asked reaching out very slowly with his hand and feeling the ionized air.

"Well, no," Duncan admitted, "but what is this?"

"I think it's a force field of some kind," Methos replied as he walked toward one wall to see how far it extended. "I made a few phone calls to some old friends who knew some people who had heard some rumours. Apparently Kilross can magically manipulate energy, in this case create an electrical barrier between us and the girls."

"Any thoughts on how to diffuse it?" Duncan asked.

"Just one," Methos said and pulled out a vial from a coat pocket.

"And what, pray tell, is that?" Duncan asked.

"A mixture of a few things Tara brought over plus a few things from the kitchen," Methos explained then noticed his friend's expression. "Hey, you'd be surprised at what one can do with a well-stocked spice rack."

Guessing the force field went the entire length of the room, Methos went to the center point and threw the vial. "Neutralis!"

The vial shattered and a golden light spread in mid-air then vanished.

"Did it work?" Duncan asked.

"I don't know. I haven't done this spell since before you were born," Methos confessed then turned to Richie who had finally recovered from the shock. "What do you say? Want to give it another try?"

The younger immortal simply glared.

"I'll go," Duncan said.

"Slowly," Methos warned.

The Scotsman carefully stepped forward and nothing happened. The electrified air had disappeared. He opened the door to find the girls tied to chairs. While Richie freed Dawn, Duncan and Methos released Rachel.

Methos pressed his fingers against the woman's wrist. "Her breathing's shallow and her pulse is weak but steady. I think she'll be okay, but we should get her to the hospital to be sure."

"Where's Connor?" Dawn asked.

-oOo-

The man in question was downstairs with his katana in hand. Though he could sense his enemy, he could not see him.

"Why hide?" Connor asked as he slowly walked around the large empty room. "I know you're here so what's the point? Just come out so we can get this over with."

"Are you always this impatient?" a voice asked from the shadows.

"Oh, I think I've been patient long enough," Connor replied as he continued his search.

"Well, if you sure it's your time to die," Kilross said as he emerged from the shadows his rapier in hand.

"I'll take my chances," Connor said twirling his katana into position.


	47. Quickenings

Chapter 47: Quickenings

Duncan and Methos helped Rachel down the stairs with Richie in the lead and Dawn in between. The sound of swords clashing caught the teenager's attention.

"Connor?" she asked then started to run in the direction of the duel.

"Dawn, wait!" Duncan protested then, having no other choice, followed her with the others in tow.

Dawn ran into the room then stopped suddenly stunned by what she saw. Connor was in an earnest battle with Kilross.

"We can't stay," Richie hissed trying to grab her arm only to have her shrug him off.

"Dawn, get out of here," Connor ordered momentarily distracted.

Kilross saw his chance and took it. With a flick of his wrist, he sent out a flash of bright light into Connor's eyes.

"Argh!" Connor cried out as he was blinded.

"It's not cheating if it's an inherent ability," Kilross sneered and shot a ball of electricity at Connor's shoulder causing him to fall to the ground.

"Roll!" Duncan shouted.

Connor rolled barely missing a fatal blow.

"Now that's interference," Kilross said in annoyance and shot a hand out.

The others found themselves caught in a status field unable to move or speak.

Dawn watched horror as Kilross repeatedly bombarded Connor with electrical balls, toying with him like a cat with its prey. She wished she could help, but she was frozen along with the rest. The pendant began to warm against her skin, and her eyes widened slightly when she realized that she could move her fingers.

She tried to block out everything else and focused on getting out of the status field. It was like moving through a thick, gelatinous substance, but little by little she inched her way forward. Though it seemed to take an eternity, she finally broke free of the field that still held the others.

Dawn looked around for something to use a weapon against Kilross. If only I had a sword, she thought then felt her right hand tingle. She looked down and gasped as a replica of Connor's katana started to form out of some kind of mystical energy. When she turned her attention back to the fight, Connor was on all fours, and Kilross had his sword raised.

"Get away from him," Dawn shrieked and without thinking charged at Kilross. She brought down the magical katana in a diagonal stroke slicing his torso then was flung backwards several feet by some strange force.

Though he didn't appear to be physically hurt, the immortal sorcerer yelled like he had been. The others fell to the ground as the status field collapsed. Kilross turned to Dawn, held out his hand and tried to form an energy ball.

Nothing happened.

"What have you done?" he asked incredulously.

"Leveled the playing field," Connor said then rolled to his feet and skewered Kilross in the chest with his katana. After a moment, he drew out his blade, and with a twist of his wrist, brought it back to position.

Dawn watched as the men renewed their battle. Kilross parried Connor's lunge, spun and elbowed him in the back of the head. Connor was dazed and barely had time to turn around to parry another attack. He briefly pinned the other man's sword with his katana, but Kilross was able to bring up his sword. Connor pulled his opponent's arm and awkwardly blocked another blow with his katana behind his head.

Then he smiled.

Connor pushed against the other man's sword arm. Kilross instinctively spun leaving himself completely vulnerable. Connor swung out with his katana and decapitated his opponent.

Dawn squeezed her eyes tight as the head, followed by the body, fell gracelessly to the ground. When she opened her eyes, she saw Connor standing, shoulders slumped, exhausted. They made eye contact for a moment when everything erupted.

As expected, a mist rose out of the body and a stream of white energy arched toward Connor. Then suddenly another stream, this time of gold energy, arched toward Dawn. Everyone was stunned as both began to levitate. Duncan moved toward Dawn but was stopped by Methos.

"You want to get caught in the backwash?" Methos asked.

"What's going on?" Duncan demanded.

"I don't know," he admitted. "I guess the magic had to go somewhere. Connor's absorbing the immortal quickening. I think Dawn's getting a mystical one."

Duncan stopped straining against the other man's arm and hugged a very worried Rachel. All they could was wait.

Whatever glass that had still been intact within the building shattered as the quickenings continued. Both Dawn and Connor shouted as bolts of energy repeatedly hit them until finally everything stopped. They fell to the ground and onto their knees. Connor crawled over to Dawn and wrapped his arms around the shaking teenager.

"It's over," he soothed kissing her tear-streaked cheeks. "You're safe."


	48. Epilogue

Epilogue

"It's good to be home," Dawn said as she got off the elevator.

"I'm sure it is," Rachel said as they climbed down the stairs.

"Dawn, take your stuff to your room then come back," Connor requested. "There's something I want to show you."

"Okay," she said a little puzzled and dropped off her stuff in her bedroom then returned to the living room.

Connor went to a bookcase and, to Dawn's surprise, lifted it up to reveal a set of double doors. He opened the doors and motioned for her to enter the room.

Dawn slowly walked into the room, her fingers skimming over the head of a Chinese Imperial lion statue, one of the two that graced the entryway. Descending a short staircase, she found herself in a circular room with an art deco feel. Bright light streamed down from the stained glass ceiling making the room warm and inviting despite being windowless.

She saw something out of the corner of her eye and turned to find a cape of peacock feathers. "Is this…?"

"Yes," Connor replied.

"It's just like how I imagined it," she smiled and reached out to touch one of the feathers.

The curved walls were lined with armor and bookcases filled with 400 years worth of memories. She walked the circumference of the room and even spotted a black and white photo of a mustached Duncan wearing an army uniform.

When she was done, she went down several more steps to the center of the room where Connor and Rachel waited with three glasses and a bottle of sparkling apple juice.

Connor poured and distributed the drinks then raised his glass. "To family."

Rachel and Dawn did the same. "To family."

~The End~

Author's Note: Many thanks to those who followed/favourited/reviewed this story.


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